Some yet-to-he-identified gunmen have abducted Seyi Adekunle, the Senior Resident Pastor in charge of Living Faith Church, famously known as Winners Chapel, along IBB Way in Calabar, Cross River State.
The cleric was whisked away from church premises by the unknown men on Saturday around 8pm.
The ugly incident dispersed members of the church, who had gathered at the church to pray for the success of the Sunday service.
According to an eyewitness, when officers and men of the Airport Division of the Nigeria Police arrived about 30 minutes later, the cleric had been taken away to an unknown destination.
A church member who would not want his name in print told Southern City News on Sunday that three armed kidnappers entered the church building unannounced during the prayer session, while a fourth person, who was masked, identified the pastor in the midst of the praying group.
She said Ademola was immediately cornered by the abductors and taken away after he was identified, adding that it was likely that the masked person that identified the pastor was familiar with the church.
The source also said that the kidnappers had their waiting vehicle parked just by the entrance to the church, along the ever-busy IBB Way, directly opposite the Margaret Ekpo International Airport.
She said, “The kidnappers came in during the normal Saturday prayers around 8pm. A group, which includes the pastor, normally gathers to pray for the next day’s (Sunday) service. They were praying when the kidnappers came in unnoticed.
“Three of them were armed while a fourth one, who was not armed, came forward to identify Pastor Ademola to the kidnappers. Their vehicle was on standby. I am sure the person that identified the pastor among those praying was an insider; someone who knows the church. They walked in quietly when the prayer session was on.”
Another eyewitness said the police were contacted while the kidnappers were still inside the church, but added that their response was slow.
“They wasted some time before they drove towards the By-pass. I am sure if the police had come at the nick of time, they would have been able to rescue the pastor,” he said.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Hogan Bassey, who confirmed the incident, however faulted that claim that his men were not quick in responding to the distress call.
He said the police, led by the Divisional Police Officer of the Airport Division, Asuquo Ebong, stormed the venue immediately the information got to them but the gunmen had escaped with cleric.
“The police went there as soon as they got the distress call. The DPO was physically there with the team that went there. We are seriously trailing the kidnappers and I assure you that the pastor will soon be released,” Bassey said.
However, check by this newspaper showed that the abductors were yet to contact either the church authorities or family of the victim at the moment. .
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