Pandemonium broke out recently at the Resurrection Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Lokoja, Kogi State, when the presiding pastor was abducted by gun-wielding gunmen while church service was ongoing.
According to reports, the gunmen believed to be kidnappers stormed the church located around Kabba junction around 9am on Sunday as the pastor was preaching.
The kidnappers, numbering about 10, reportedly ordered the church members to lie face down before abducting Pastor Ayo Raphael.
An eyewitness told The Punch: “The pastor was dragged out of the church into the bush while the abductors shot sporadically into the air to facilitate their escape.”
Although no life was lost, many church members sustained various degrees of injuries as they attempted to take cover when the suspected kidnappers shot sporadically to squash any attempt to block their escape.
The Punch reported that the kidnappers have contacted the church to make a ransom demand of N50 million.
When contacted, the Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, William Aya, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.