Families and residents of Omugo community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State have welcomed the return of the three remaining Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) worshippers who were abducted during a church service and held captive for 105 days.

According to Punch, the three women, including a hearing-impaired widow, were among eight worshippers kidnapped when suspected gunmen invaded ECWA Church, Omugo, on March 22, 2026.

Five of the abducted worshippers reportedly died in captivity, while the remaining three regained their freedom following a coordinated security operation targeting suspected kidnappers in forests along the Kwara-Kogi border.

President of the Omugo Development Union, Oladimeji Thompson, described the women’s return as a moment of both joy and sorrow, saying the community was celebrating their freedom while mourning those who lost their lives.

He said the community endured 105 days of fear, uncertainty and continuous prayers before the captives were reunited with their families.

Thompson also expressed condolences to the families of the five victims who died in captivity and thanked security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Armed Forces and local vigilante groups, for their efforts in securing the women’s release.

He further commended traditional rulers and members of the Omugo community at home and abroad for their financial support, prayers and solidarity throughout the ordeal. He urged residents displaced by insecurity to return home, assuring them that measures had been put in place to protect lives and property.

The Joint Security Watch, Kwara South, said sustained pressure from a combined team of military personnel, police officers, hunters and vigilante groups forced the kidnappers to release several captives held in forests along the Kwara-Kogi border.

ECWA Omugo pastor, Rev. Sunday Omole, confirmed that the church had received the three women and appealed for prayers for their full recovery.

The Kwara State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the development as of the time Punch filed its report.