Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a cleric, Pastor Samson Ndah Ali, of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Maraba Aboro, Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Monday when the assailants stormed the pastor’s residence around 1 a.m., whisking him away to an undisclosed location.
Confirming the incident, the church’s financial secretary, Mallam Yusuf Ambi, disclosed that the kidnappers have contacted the church and demanded a ransom of N100 million for the release of the 30-year-old pastor.
According to Ambi, Pastor Ali had only recently resumed his pastoral duties at the church, having been posted to the area less than two weeks before the incident.
“I was with him the previous night. I was shocked to receive a distress call early in the morning. I rushed to his residence, only to discover that the doors were left open, and he was nowhere to be found,” Ambi narrated.
He added that negotiations were still ongoing with the abductors, as efforts were being intensified to secure the pastor’s release.
Meanwhile, security operatives comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army, Police, and Department of State Services (DSS) have reportedly launched a joint rescue operation to track down the kidnappers and ensure the safe return of the victim.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Mansir Hassan, said the command was aware of the incident and promised to provide updates as investigations and rescue operations progress.