An eyewitness as narrated his ordeal in the hands of the daredevil gunmen that invaded a Celestial Church in Ogun.
Daily Report Nigeria recalls that the hoodlums invaded the Celestial Church of Christ, Oshofa, Wasimi, in the Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, on Monday during a night vigil.
The assailants kidnapped the Assistant Shepherd of the parish, Oluwaseun Ajose, and a Sunday school teacher identified as Dagunro Ayobami.
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However, a victim of the attack, Oluwajesse Sunmade has narrated that the shooters wore masks and fez caps for the operation.
“Around 11.40 p.m., I and a few other members were seated at the church’s entrance, while the assistant shepherd slept inside the church.
“After that, I saw four masked individuals with hats on their heads, two of them holding firearms, one with a big stick and the other with a machete.
“They told me to be silent as soon as they saw me. One of my companions was a pregnant woman, and the other was a church worker.”
“They inquired about the Head Pastor, but I did not respond. I warned the other two not to say anything if they wanted to know where the shepherd was.
“They threatened to shoot one of my colleagues unless he told them where the shepherd was.
“The pregnant woman on the other side of me attempted to flee, but I counseled her against it, so she was not shot.
“As she attempted to return, she collided into the entrance cross.
“The noise awoke the assistant shepherd, who had been sleeping in the church, as well as the Sunday school teacher in the adjacent room.
“When he awoke, he inquired as to who they were.
“The Sunday school instructor walked out to see what was going on, but the man with the stick beat them both up and hauled them away.
“They also intended to take me and the pregnant woman with them, but the pregnant woman told them she was sick and couldn’t move, so they left her alone, and I was able to flee.
On his part, Prophet Oluwatomisin Olugbebi, the church’s founder, said he had left the area 10 minutes before the abductors stormed the chapel.
He instructed security agents to make sure the victims were unharmed when they were rescued.
“When my assistant phoned me over two hours after they left, the kidnappers at first refused to speak with me, but on his third effort, they spoke with me and demanded N50 million in ransom,” he stated.
“I told them I’m a servant of God who doesn’t get paid,” she said.
Lanre Bankole, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, also confirmed the incident, saying that attempts were underway to free the abducted victims.
