After alleged conversion of Almajiris, gunmen kidnap wife of ECWA Pastor in Plateau

This is coming following a report that the ECWA Church camped some Almajiris in their headquarter's Church and forcefully converted them.

The ECWA President, Rev. Stephen Panya who reacted to the alleged forceful conversion, denied the allegation in a statement published by Pulse last week.

However, on Monday, June 4, 2022, at about 1:24 am gunmen stormed the ECWA Staff residence, and took away the wife of one of the ECWA Church Senior Pastor, Rev. Andu Bawa.

Our correspondent gathered that on arriving at the ECWA Staff premises, the gunmen fired several gunshots into the air before they forced themselves into the Reverend’s house, but while trying to force him out of the house, he engaged them and in the process escaped from the scene.

It was gathered that after he escaped the gunmen carried out a thorough search of the premises and discovered where the wife was hiding and whisked her to an unknown destination.

"The gunmen contacted the family at about 8:50 am on Monday demanding a ransom of N50 million", a source disclosed to our correspondent.

A resident told our correspondent that since the alleged story of forcefully converting Almajiris by the ECWA Church, the community has been under siege.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Alagbo Alfred, said efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim.

The ECWA Church is well known as an indigenous Church for the inhabitants of Plateau State.

Founded in 1954 when the SIM-related Churches (initially in Nigeria came together to form an indigenous body).