General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye. COURTESY PHOTO.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), led by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, has called for prayer after at least eight of their members were abducted Friday by gunmen while traveling on a bus to a church program in the Kaduna state of northwest Nigeria.
According to the Christian Post, the Christians were traveling to prepare for one of the Church’s upcoming Easter program when gunman removed them from their bus and took them away in a vehicle.
The RCCG Head of Media and Public Relations, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, told Sunday PUNCH that the ministry is working with security agencies for the safe return of the victims.
“We feel completely disturbed by the development and as a church, the best we can do is to pray that God will intervene and these brethren will return home to their loved ones. As a church, we are praying now and asking God to take charge of the situation. A report has also been made to the police,” Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi told media.
Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi maintained that the gunmen had yet to contact the ministry. However, Channels TV, a Nigerian independent media outlet, while quoting the Public Relations Officer of the church in the Kaduna province, Alao Joseph, stated that the kidnappers had demanded for ransom.
Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, told The Punch that the church bus had been recovered.
He explained, “The divisional police officer in charge of the area reported to us in the early hours of today (Saturday) that a vehicle with the inscription, ‘Redeemed Christian Church of God’ was found by the roadside with no occupant.”
“The vehicle was about to be taken into custody when we received a phone call that some people were on their way from Kaduna to the scene; they brought an extra key for the vehicle. So, instead of towing the vehicle, we just allowed the church to take it away. A serious search for the members has been launched by security agencies, including the police and the military,” he added.
This abduction, sources say, came a little more than two weeks after another Nigerian kidnapping on March 11 resulted in around 39 missing students. The students were abducted by gunmen from a school, also in the Kaduna state of northwest Nigeria.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is known for widespread mass abductions and violence. Kidnapping for ransom payments has become common, according to the Christian Post.
