Armed men abducted the wife of a pastor and a female church member during a violent attack in the town of Agyaragu, Obi Local Government Area, on Sunday, Sept. 21.
The incident occurred while Pastor Samuel Nasamu of Word of God Church had stepped out to visit a sick congregant. His wife, Patience, phoned him during the attack, but he could only hear her praying before the call was cut off.
According to witnesses, the gunmen tried to smash open the family’s door with a hammer before firing shots to force it open. Patience and another woman were seized as they attempted to escape. The couple’s 3-month-old baby was left behind.
The kidnappers have demanded a ransom of ₦50m ($34,000). Family members say Patience is in poor health and suffering trauma from being separated from her infant. In a call from captivity, her voice was heard crying out: “My baby … my baby. Who will help me out of this pain?”
Local residents report that abductions are becoming increasingly common in Nasarawa. One community member said: “We live in fear every day. Even farmers are being targeted. Agyaragu is at the mercy of kidnappers. We are pleading with Governor Abdullahi Sule to take urgent action.”
Adapted from ICC.
