02/22/2019 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) – Late on Wednesday, March 20, at about 8 pm, gunmen entered the home of Reverend Andrew Dido on the campus of Plateau State Polytechnic. Reverend Dido is the pastor over the campus Church. During the robbery, the gunmen told the family to give them an unknown amount of money. When the Reverend said that they could not, the gunmen took his 12-year-old son Kim Dido.
The Family was able to tell the Police about it quickly after the event took place. Since that time, security on the campus has been raised, and there has been a dedicated rescue team searching for the boy. As of today, there have been no reports of ransom requests given yet or any motive for why the pastors family was targeted. During the robbery though, the gunmen did take a card with the pastor’s phone number on it according to other reports given.
Despite the lack of a clearly religiously based motive, attack on Christians in Nigeria have become all too common. Especially in the Middle Belt where pastor’s homes, and churches have been destroyed in the dozens over the past two years. These attacks have caused a crisis in Nigeria making it one of the top persecuted countries in the world for Christians.
For interviews with Nathan Johnson, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org
