Pastor, 10 church members escape abduction in Kogi

A priest and other ten members of the United Evangelical Church (UEC), New Layout, Lokoja, Kogi State, escaped being abducted by gunmen in Ajaokuta on the Ajaokuta-Itobe road at the weekend while returning to Lokoja.

The failed abduction occurred after they attended a wedding in Dekina LGA.

A source explained that the bus conveying the church members came under gunfire at about 3 pm.

According to the source, “it was by the help of God that they were miraculously saved from the kidnappers.

“They fired several gunshots on the direction of the driver, but miraculously, God did not allow any of the bullets to hit him.”

The source explained that some of the travellers received gunshot injuries, adding that they were treated in a hospital in Lokoja and discharged.

SP William Aya, the state’s police spokesman, while reacting to the incident, stated that it was an attempted kidnapping that was nipped in the bud shortly after men of the command got wind of it.

He explained that the police and the military swung into action and engaged the hoodlums, which forced them to escape, and all the passengers were rescued