Kidnappers kill ECWA pastor after collecting N1 million ransom, recharge cards

Kidnappers kill ECWA pastor after collecting N1 million ransom, recharge cards

A pastor with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Pastor David Musa, has been killed by kidnappers after they collected N1 million ransom, recharge cards and other items in Kogi State.

The Kogi State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Ovye Aya, confirmed the incident on Thursday afternoon, and told journalists that the command is investigating the incident, adding that those behind the killing of the late Pastor Musa will be arrested and prosecuted.

It was gathered that the late Pastor Musa was abducted on Saturday, 11th November 2023, in Obajana, under the Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State, and was later killed on Tuesday.

Narrating how the pastor was killed, a member of the church identified as Mary said, “The pastor went to his farm that ugly day, his wife was waiting for him to return home, but she didn’t see him. When night fell, the wife raised an alarm, and the church people, including residents of the community, went to his farm to search for him.

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“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 $1,000,000.

“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,” she said.

It was further learned that the news of the murder of the late Pastor Musa was first broken on the social media platform of the church on Wednesday morning.

The short 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.”

The late Pastor David was formerly in charge of ECWA Bishara, Ajaokuta. His gruesome murder has heightened panic among his congregation and the state in general.

It would be recalled that the Lokoja, Obajana, and Kabba roads have become unsafe in recent times. Gunmen have been operating regularly on the road, abducting innocent people for ransom and killing some.

In September, an army major was among 26 people who were led to the bush at Aiyegunle Igun, a few kilometres from Kabba town. Some of them secured their freedom after one week in captivity. The fates of others are still unknown.