A joyful celebration turned into a nightmare as armed kidnappers struck along the Eruku-Iyemero Road, snatching a newly wedded couple and four other innocent travellers.
What was supposed to be one of the happiest days of their lives quickly became a harrowing ordeal for Reverend Abiodun David and his new bride, Funmilayo Bamidele, after gunmen ambushed and abducted them along the Eruku-Iyemero Road in Kwara State.
The couple had just concluded their engagement ceremony in Eruku and were on their way home when the unthinkable happened. Armed men swooped on their vehicle, seized them along with four other travellers, and whisked them away into the bush — leaving families, friends, and well-wishers in shock and tears.
From “I Do” to Captivity
For any Nigerian family, an engagement ceremony is a sacred and joyful milestone — a gathering of loved ones, music, laughter, and the promise of a beautiful future together. That was the atmosphere Rev. Abiodun David and Funmilayo Bamidele had just experienced before their world was turned upside down.
The road that was supposed to lead them toward their new life together instead became the site of a terrifying abduction. Four other individuals travelling along the same route were also taken by the gunmen, bringing the total number of victims to six.
Insecurity Continues to Cast a Dark Shadow
This incident is yet another painful reminder of the growing security challenges facing many parts of Nigeria, particularly in rural and semi-urban corridors where travellers remain easy targets for kidnappers operating in thick bushland.
Kwara State, though relatively calmer compared to some other states, has seen its share of criminal activity along some of its less-patrolled highways. Stories like that of Rev. David and his new bride Funmilayo are becoming all too familiar across the country — and each one represents real families torn apart, real lives disrupted, and real trauma that does not simply fade away after a rescue.
Prayers and Pressure Mount for Their Release
News of the abduction has since spread across social media and within Christian communities, with many Nigerians lifting prayers for the safe and speedy return of the couple and the four others taken alongside them.
Security agencies in Kwara State are expected to commence or intensify rescue operations. Nigerians, however, are once again asking the hard questions — how long will innocent citizens remain soft targets on their own roads? When will our highways be safe enough for a couple to travel home after their own engagement without fear?
The Bigger Picture
This abduction is not just a Kwara story. It is a Nigerian story. From the Southeast to the Northwest, from the Middle Belt to the South-South, kidnapping along highways has become a grim reality that demands urgent, sustained, and decisive action from all levels of government.
As we await news of the release of Rev. Abiodun David, Funmilayo Bamidele, and the four other victims, our thoughts and prayers remain with their families.
Nigeria must be safe enough for love to thrive — on and off the road.
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