Kidnappers Kill Pastor, Abduct Wife On Kaduna-Abuja Express Way

A Pastor of the Living Faith Church, in Romi New Extension, a suburb of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Jeremiah Omolara has been shot dead by gunmen along the Kaduna- Abuja Expressway. Omolara was shot twice on the chest by the gunmen who abducted his wife and son. The son later escaped. It was gathered that the gunmen are now asking for N50 million as ransom before they would release the pastor’s wife.

Our correspondent also gathered that the incident, which happened on Sunday, occurred along the notorious Kaduna-Abuja road when the pastor, his wife and son were returning from Abuja to Kaduna in the evening.

The gunmen, it was gathered, on sighting the victims’ car, opened fire, killing the pastor, who was driving. However, the son was said to have escaped from the bandits. A member of the church, who did not want his name mentioned, told our correspondent that the abductors are now demanding a ransom of N50 million. The church member further said: “The pastor, his wife and son were on their way back in the evening from Abuja, when they were attacked along Abuja- Kaduna Highway. The pastor was shot twice, while his wife and son were kidnapped. He was later rushed to Saint Gerald Hospital, Kaduna, where he was referred to Barau Dikko Hospital.

He was confirmed dead at Barau Dikko Hospital.The pastor’s son escaped from the hands of the kidnappers. His wife is still with the kidnappers and they are asking for N50 million ransom.” The state chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Joseph Hayab, confirmed the development. Hayab said that the increasing rate of kidnapping in Kaduna was worrisome, especially abductions of clerics. He said the killing of Omolara and the abduction of his wife, was sad and devastating. Hayab disclosed that last Thursday, the parish priest of Kasuwan Magani, Kajuru Local Government Area, Reverend Father Joe, was attacked by gunmen at his residence and his security guard killed.

According to him, the parish priest narrowly escaped being killed or being abducted. He added that in the same vein, a 13-year-old daughter of a Baptist pastor was abducted. The kidnappers later demanded ransom.

The CAN chairman said that in Kudendan area of the metropolis, gunmen invaded the house of a pastor of a church called Friendship International and took him away. His words: “As at Friday, the kidnappers were asking us to pay N4 million or we should not call them again for the release of the pastor.

Now, the Living Faith Church pastor has been killed, while his wife was abducted. That tells you that the new trend is to attack us in our homes or in our churches or on the roads. We are just not safe anywhere and we asked the same question we have been asking; where are our security agencies? Are we being told that we should defend ourselves? If we start defending ourselves, it means that we no longer have security or we no longer have a government. Or is this government only for those they love? So, we are really concerned that people, especially clerics in Kaduna are no longer safe.” When the correspondent called the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Yakubu Sabo, to confirm the incident, he didn’t pick his calls.