Kidnappers kill pastor after collecting ₦1m ransom from family

It would be recalled that the clergyman was abducted in Obajana, the Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State, and was gruesomely killed on Tuesday, November 14.

According to a member of the church identified as Mary, who narrated how the cleric was abducted, “the pastor went to his farm that ugly day. So, his wife was waiting for him to return home but she didn’t see her husband. When night fell, the wife raised the alarm in which the church members, including residents of the community, went to his farm to search for him.”

“It was then they discovered that the pastor had been kidnapped. The abductors got in touch with the family demanding ₦20 million. Since the church and the family could not raise such amount of money, they pleaded with the kidnappers and they reduced the ransom to ₦1 million.

“The kidnappers insisted that when they would be bringing the money, the church should come along with recharge cards, chicken, and many alcoholic drinks for their consumption. Two of the church members were sent to deliver the money and the items requested by the kidnappers.

“When they got to the kidnappers’ den, they saw our pastor alive. They now instructed our pastor and the two other church members who brought the money to start going home. Unfortunately, they later called the pastor to come back and he did as instructed because he knew that there was no way he could run from their place since his abductors were holding sophisticated weapons.

“When he was coming back to them, they immediately shot at him and he died on the spot. They later brought his lifeless body back to Obajana,” Mary added.

Meanwhile, the Kogi Police Command confirmed the incident, with the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Ovye Aya saying the command had begun an investigation into the incident.

The police spokesperson added that those behind the killing would be arrested and prosecuted.