Bandit threat in Kwara forces cleric Omolehin, family into hiding

The founder of Word Assembly Ministries, Rev. Isaac Omolehin, has revealed that a security threat linked to banditry has forced him, his wife and children to abandon their home and live in hiding.

In a recent statement, Omolehin disclosed that he had been unable to return to his residence or ministry camp in Idofian, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, after security operatives warned of a possible attack on the facility.

“I have a house I can’t enter. I have a car I can’t ride. I have to hide myself from the public. If I sleep here today, I’ll sleep somewhere else tomorrow. I’m homeless with my wife and children,” he said.

The cleric said the crisis began when police officers arrived at the camp in the early hours of May 31 and directed residents to evacuate following intelligence about an impending bandit attack. He said more than 100 people living within the facility fled.

The facility housed an orphanage, schools, a hospital, an old people’s home and a rehabilitation centre. Omolehin said the attackers later arrived but found the facility deserted, adding that the school and hospital had to shut down.

He said he had since been moving between locations with his family as authorities had yet to confirm that the area was safe for residents to return. He added that letters had been sent to the police, the Department of State Services and the Kwara State Ministry of Social Welfare seeking approval for their return, but no response had been received.

Omolehin also alleged that his hometown in Kogi State was attacked three days after the incident in Kwara, resulting in the death of some residents. He said the camp buildings were not destroyed, but thieves later broke into the abandoned facility and stole belongings.

The cleric, who is known for speaking against divisions within the Nigerian church, said the security challenges had not weakened his commitment to his ministry. He appealed to the federal and state governments to strengthen security around the facility, particularly because of the children and other vulnerable persons under his care.