Elisha Noma, A Baptist Pastor In Kaduna, Kidnapped By Gunmen
The Oasis Reporters
August 14, 2019
Barely two weeks after the kidnap of a Pastor heading the Living Faith Church, Angwan Romi, Kaduna branch parish, Jeremiah Omolewa, was killed and ransom was paid to free his abducted wife,gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have yet struck again, abducting another pastor, Reverend Elisha Noma of Nagarta Baptist Church, Angwan Makiri, near Udawa, Chikun local government area of Kaduna State.
The armed kidnappers, numbering about 20, reportedly stormed the village around 1:30 am Wednesday and forced their way into the Pastor’s house and went away with him and his son.
But, they later released the son, Emmanuel Elisha, who was threatened to go and raise an unspecified amount of money as ransom to secure the release of his father within five days, or else, his father would be killed.
According to the pastor’s son, “They came around 1 am. They were about 20 armed men that came to the village and started hitting at doors but nobody opened. They then forced their way into houses and vandalised properties. They carted away some valuables including mobile phones and clothing in my mother’s box.
“They picked me together with my father. But after a while into the bush, I was released and they went away with my father. One of them was dressed in military camouflage.
“As they released me, they threatened that if we fail to bring money in five days even though they didn’t mention the specific ransom, they will kill him.
“We are yet to report to the police because even when we had a similar experience in the past and we contacted them, they did not do anything about it. So, it is of no use.” He said.
The media awaits a statement from the spokesman for Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Yakubu Sabo.
This development further raises the status of Kaduna as an increasingly difficult place for religious clergy, especially Christians and Shi’ite Muslim minorities to thrive.
