A group of kidnappers numbering about ten on Sunday, January 10, 2016 kidnapped a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Ayo Raphael, in Lokoja, Kogi State capital.
The yet-to-be identified men reportedly stormed the Resurrection parish of the RCCG in Kabba junction during the Sunday service and ordered the congregation to lie on their faces.
Speaking under the condition of anonymity, an eyewitness said: “The pastor was dragged out of the church into the bush while the abductors shot sporadically into the air to facilitate their escape.”
According to Punch, although no lives were lost, many members of the congregation were said to have sustained injuries as a result of their scampering for safety as the kidnappers were shooting into the air.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP William Aya, said he had not been informed about the incident.
