Police Confirm Two Dead In Kwara Church Attack As Ex-Canadian Lawmaker Alleges ‘Jihad’

 

Former Canadian lawmaker, Goldie Ghamari, has stirred controversy following her comments on Tuesday’s deadly attack in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, describing the incident as “jihad” and urging the international community to act.

The attack, carried out by suspected bandits, left two persons dead and one injured during coordinated raids on a local church and along the Ilorin–Kabba Road. The violence forced travellers to abandon their vehicles and flee through bush paths for safety.

Reacting on X to a video of the incident, Ghamari warned that the world must “wake up,” insisting the attack reflects what she called a growing pattern of religiously motivated violence.

“This is what jihad looks like. Wake up world. If you don’t fight to end the Muslim genocide of Christians in Nigeria, this violence will eventually spread,” she wrote.

She urged countries to learn from societies “that have experienced Islamic terrorism for 1,400 years.”

Police Confirm Casualties

The Kwara State Police Command confirmed that a worshipper, Mr. Aderemi, was shot dead inside the church, while another victim, Mr. Tunde Asaba Ajayi, was later found in the bush. A vigilante member, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot wounds and was rushed to an ECWA hospital.

Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said operatives responded promptly and assured residents that the assailants would be tracked down and neutralised.

The attack comes amid rising security concerns following the recent abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State.

Diplomatic Tension Over Nigeria’s Security Crisis

Ghamari’s remarks follow her recent heated exchange with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, during a programme hosted by British broadcaster, Piers Morgan. She accused the Nigerian government of inaction and alleged that the attacks constitute jihad, not banditry.

“When someone yells ‘Allahu Akbar’ before they massacre Christians and burn churches, that’s jihad,” she claimed, also referencing alleged links between the government and Iran.

But Tuggar dismissed her assertions, describing them as baseless. He stressed that the government does not classify killings by religion, adding that all citizens are treated equally.

He further revealed that members of his own family had been victims of Boko Haram attacks, insisting the group targets Muslims as much as Christians.

Tuggar accused Ghamari of stoking conflict from abroad and warned that misguided foreign commentary could destabilise Nigeria’s delicate religious and ethnic balance.

Cleric Raises Alarm Over Attacks

Also speaking on the programme, Plateau-based clergyman, Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, alleged systematic persecution of Christians, stating that he had conducted over 70 mass burials linked to violent attacks. He referenced a particularly deadly incident in Dogona Awa where more than 500 people were reportedly killed in one night.

The Kwara attack adds to a growing list of violent incidents that continue to raise concerns over insecurity across the country.