By Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
IN spite of collecting N1 million, recharge cards, chicken and drinks as ransom, abductors of a pastor with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Pastor David Musa, still snuffed life out of him.
Pastor Musa was abducted on Saturday, November 11, 2023, in Obajana, Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State.
He was, however, reportedly killed on Tuesday when two church members went to the kidnappers’ haven with the money and other items requested.
A member of the church, one Mary, revealed the gory incident: “The pastor went to his farm the fateful day and his wife was waiting for him to return home, but she didn’t see her husband.
“When night fell, the wife raised the alarm, and the church people, including residents of the community, went to his farm to search for him.
“It was then that they discovered that the pastor had been kidnapped. The abductors got in touch with the family, demanding N20,000,000.
“Since the church and the family could not raise such an amount of money, they pleaded with the kidnappers, and they reduced the ransom to N1,000,000.
“The kidnappers insisted that, when they are bringing the money, they 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 went 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.
“That was how they later brought his lifeless body back to Obajana. This incident has thrown the entire church and the community into mourning.”
The story of the killing of the cleric was, however, broken on the social media platform of the church on Wednesday morning.
The message reads: “It is with a heavy heart, but in total submission to the will of God, that I write to inform you that the abductors of our brother, Pastor Musa David, have killed him after collecting a ransom of one million naira last night. Let our prayers be with the family, the church, and the DCC in this trying moment.”
Stonix News reports that the late Pastor David was formerly in charge of ECWA Bishara, Ajaokuta.
His gruesome murder has heightened panic among his congregation and across the state which most forests have been infested by marauders.
It will be recalled that the Lokoja, Obajana, and Kabba roads have become unsafe in recent times, with gunmen abducting and killing people at will.
In September, an army major was among 26 people who were led to the bush at Aiyegunle Igun, a few kilometres from Kabba town.
While some of them were able to secure their freedom after a week in captivity, the fate of others is still hanging.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the incident on Thursday afternoon.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Aya, said the killer’s of late Pastor Musa would be arrested and prosecuted.
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