A church camp in Idofian village, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria, was recently evacuated after police received intelligence about an impending attack by bandits. The founder of Word Assembly Ministries, Rev. Isaac Omolehin, stated that police officers arrived at the camp around midnight between May 30 and 31, ordering everyone to leave. The sudden evacuation left the camp deserted, with residents forced to seek safety in different locations.
The cleric, Rev. Omolehin, was not at the camp when the evacuation order was issued but has since been forced to move from one location to another with his wife and children due to the security threat. He described the situation as dire, stating that he is homeless with his family. The camp, which was home to over 100 people, provided various social services, including a primary school, secondary school, hospital, old people's home, and a rehabilitation centre for women and their children.
According to Rev. Omolehin, the bandits eventually arrived at the facility but found no one there. He added that the bandits did not damage the buildings at the camp but warned that criminals later broke into the deserted camp and stole property. The cleric alleged that the security crisis extended beyond the Kwara camp, claiming that his village in Kogi State was attacked three days after the incident at the camp, with some members of the community killed.
Rev. Omolehin disclosed that the displaced residents remained scattered because authorities had yet to confirm that the area was safe for them to return. The camp management had written to the police, seeking clarification on whether it was safe to return, particularly because schools had resumed and over 100 children needed to return to school. Reports were also submitted to the Department of State Services and the Kwara State Ministry of Social Welfare.
The cleric stressed that the people who looted the facility were different from the bandits who allegedly threatened to abduct residents. He emphasized that the bandits came for human beings, not to steal property. Rev. Omolehin, known for his criticism of denominational divisions within the Nigerian Church, stated that the security concerns had not stopped him from his religious advocacy despite opposition to his ministry.
Rev. Omolehin recently appealed to the Federal Government and the Kwara State Government to improve security around the camp to enable him, his family, and the displaced residents to return. He emphasized that some of the orphaned children at the facility had been referred there by government authorities. The cleric also disclosed that he was recently barred from preaching in Baptist churches, about a month before his latest disclosure.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Kwara State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, did not respond to calls or messages as of the time of filing the report. Rev. Omolehin's situation highlights the growing security concerns in Nigeria, particularly in the area of kidnappings and bandit attacks, which have become increasingly prevalent in recent years.
Key points
- The incident highlights the growing security concerns in Nigeria, particularly in the area of kidnappings and bandit attacks.
- The church camp provided various social services, including a primary school, secondary school, hospital, old people's home, and a rehabilitation centre for women and their children.
- Rev. Omolehin and his family are currently homeless due to the security threat and are appealing to the government to improve security around the camp.
