Bandits have killed Dauda Bature, a pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Nariya, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Bature was abducted on his farm on 8 November and killed by the bandits, who had collected an undisclosed amount of money as ransom.
It was learnt that the bandits demanded N5 million ransom and his wife reportedly delivered an undisclosed amount of money to the bandits for his release after negotiations with the family.
The pastor’s wife was subsequently abducted by the bandits after they collected the ransom.
She was later released on December 6 and asked to go raise more money to secure the freedom of her husband.
Joseph Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), confirmed the killing of the clergyman.
He said: “It was yesterday (Friday) that the information came when our pastors were at a conference, and the leaders of the church went to officially tell the wife that her husband is no more so that they don’t continue negotiations with the bandits.
“What this means is that the bandits have become so cruel and brutal to their victims. They no longer have mercy.
“It shows our government needs to triple what it’s doing. These people cannot be defeated through rhetoric but by a superior fire. Despite the measures taking, they continue their wickedness.”
In another development, eight people were abducted by bandits in Sabon Tasha, Oil Village, and Anguwan Bulus areas of Kaduna, on Saturday.
The bandits were said to have invaded Sabon Tasha GRA and Anguwan Bulus at the same time.
Mohammad Jalinge, the Kaduna Police Command spokesperson, who confirmed the attack, said the bandits invaded the areas around 1 am on Saturday.
He said: “The Kaduna police command, through divisional police officer Sabon Tasha division, Kaduna acted on a distress call received from a good Samaritan to the fact that some suspected armed bandits numbering about 30 with some in military gears and bearing dangerous weapons, were making ferocious effort to break into a residential area at Sabo GRA in Chikun LGA of the State in an attempt to commit heinous crime.
“On receiving the distress call, operatives were immediately mobilized with the support of other security agents to the scene with a view to thwart the bandit’s intention.
“The criminals, on sensing the presence of security agents, started shooting indiscriminately.
“The criminals being frustrated by the police and other security agents set the resident on fire and flee for their lives.
“Unfortunately, it was discovered that the bandits operated simultaneously with one at oil village in the same Sabo location where they kidnapped a woman and her four children to an unknown destination.”
The police command said investigations have commenced into the incident.
