05/22/2019 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) – A Pastor and 16 choir members were kidnapped from a church in Kaduna State on Sunday this week. During the kidnapping, one other person was also killed. In an interview with The Cable, an unnamed witness said that “It was at about 12:30 midnight. We had combined choir practice in the church with other neighboring communities. We normally hold the combine choir practice from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.”
According to other reports, there were between 20 and 30 gunmen who conducted the attack. Though no group has come forward to claim the abduction, another eyewitness told the ThisDay newspaper in Nigeria that it was 30 Fulani extremists who conducted the attack. If what this eye witness says is true, then it is unlikely that any group will claim the attack, as Fulani militants do not often claim responsibility for attacks.
Interviewed by the Nation, Pastor Nath Waziri, the district church council secretary, said that the gunmen told everyone to give up their phones and wanted to know who the leader was. “After threatening the choristers they became afraid and showed them the pastor home,” Wazir was quoted as saying. “They took him away and his daughter with 15 others amongst which there is the son of the pastor of Assemblies of God Church.”
There is no word of a ransom yet, but according to witnesses speaking with The Tide, this is not the first time bandits have attacked the town. “This is the fifth time these bandits are invading our community. About two months ago, they abducted two people in the farm. The other person was killed even after we paid them ransom.” Please pray for the safety of those abducted and the peace of their families.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
