Bandits Kidnap Pastor, Three Female Church Members in Niger

The Pastor of Kauna Baptist Church in Danazunmi near Grigori in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, Reverend Genesis Zaka, and three female members of the church have been kidnapped by bandits.

The names of the abducted female church members are Tabitha Luka, Liatu Nuhu and Rahila Luka.

The cleric and the female church members were said to have been abducted by the bandits during last Sunday morning service.

 An eyewitness, who narrated how the incident happened, told journalists that during the service, the bandits came in a large number on motorcycles and surrounded the church. 

He said a stampede occurred with many of the worshipers running for their lives.

 

It was in the confusion that the pastor and the three female church members were kidnapped and taken away.

The source stated further that last Monday the bandits contacted the church secretary for N30million ransom before those kidnapped will be released. The church reportedly pleaded that they could only raise N40, 000 which the bandits reportedly rejected but promise to get back to the church.

When contacted, an official of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Rafi LGA, who did not want his name in print, confirmed the story, saying he has informed both the Rafi LGA chairman, the Divisional Police Officer of the area  and the state chairman of CAN about the development.

When asked what efforts they were making to secure the release of the victims, he said: "We have started praying and fasting for God to touch the heart of their kidnappers to release them."

Efforts to get police confirmation were abortive just as the state chairman of CAN could not be reached for comment.

Two weeks ago, the affected area came under bandits’ attacks leading to the killing of three people among them a woman and her daughter while eight others were kidnapped.

The bandits were said to have collected jerry cans of petrol valued at N80,000 as ransom.