Gunmen raided the ECWA Church in Kabba, Kogi State on Sunday and abducted the Pioneer Provost, College of Technical Education, Kabba, Dr. JOT Oshadumo, the Resident Pastor and a female congregant while the service Sunday was in progress.
Kabba, the traditional seat of Okunland, is in the Kogi West Senatorial District of Kogi State.
An eyewitness said Oshadumo, who worshiped regularly in the church after his retirement, was abducted during the service.
The church pastor, whose name could not immediately be determined, and another worshiper were also taken away by the thugs.
According to reports, a security guard from the College of Technical Education, Kabba, identified only as Reuben, who was also at the church service, was shot dead.
At the time of filing this report, the kidnappers had not yet demanded a ransom.
Recall that the Kabba detention center was overrun last Monday when five soldiers manning a checkpoint a few meters away were shot and 249 detainees escaped.
About 114 of the escapees have since been recaptured or voluntarily returned.
State House of Assembly Speaker Mathew Kolawole condemned the kidnapping and murder at the ECWA church, describing the attack as evil.
He said it was unthinkable that such a “heinous crime” could be perpetrated in the church while the service was in progress.
Kolawole called on all security guards in and around Kabba to step up their patrols, adding that it was unacceptable for the area to turn into a hideout for kidnappers.
In another development, as many as 11 bandits terrorizing parts of Koton-Karfe LGA of Kogi State were reportedly killed by men from the state vigilante group, while three kidnapped victims were rescued.
A statement on Sunday by the state governor’s chief press secretary, Onogwu Mohammed, said vigilantes, while acting on intelligence, nabbed an official of Nigeria’s Security and Civil Defense Corps, Inspector Abdullahi Saidu, who along with a friend supplied the criminals. with weapons and information.
Mohammed, while quoting the vigilante leader who led the attack on the thugs, said: “Alaidi is their leader; he was killed in the first attack on the camp. Rabo and seven others were also crushed. Madei and another were killed in the second captor camp, while Umar escaped with a gunshot wound, but was recaptured.
He also confirmed that five of the kidnappers, including the NSCDC official, were in the custody of the Department of State Services for further investigation. ,,
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material and any other digital content on this website may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without the prior express written permission of PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]