Five Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) pastors were on Thursday kidnapped by gunmen.
The five pastors were kidnapped along the Ijebu-Ode axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The general superintendent of the church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who announced the abduction of the pastors on Friday, said they were on their way to the Annual Holy Ghost Convention.
He said he was not happy over the development however urged his congregation to pray for the release of the pastors.
“As a father, how do you think I should feel to hear that five of my children have been kidnapped while on their way to attend the ministers’ conference?
A source also said the unnamed clergymen were coming from the southwest state of Ondo.
Elsewhere in Enugu State, a Catholic priest of Enugu Diocese, Reverend Fr. Paul Offu was reportedly shot dead by suspected herdsmen
The priest was said to have been killed in Awgu local government area of the state around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday night.
The church which took to its twitter handle to announce the death wrote:
“With a deep sense of sorrow, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu announces the tragic death of Rev Fr Paul Offu who was shot dead on (1st August 2019) by some hoodlums suspected to be the notorious and murderous Fulani herdsmen, along Ihe-Agbudu Road in Awgu LGA.
“Fr. Offu hailed from Okpatu in Udi LGA of Enugu State and until his death, was the parish priest of St. James the Greater Parish, Ugbawka.
“May perpetual light shine upon his gentle and illustrious soul.”
Communication’s director of the diocese, Reverend Fr. Benjamin Achi who also confirmed the death of the priest condemned the act.
He said the priest was killed by herdsmen.
“Fr. Offu was stopped by the murderous herdsmen while returning to his parish after a visit to priest friend along Ihe-Agbudu road in Awgu LGA.
“They dragged him to the bush but one of the assailants said kill him that the church would not do anything if they kidnapped him,” said Achi.
He also lamented that Catholic priests were becoming targets of attacks by herdsmen.
He disclosed that another priest, Rev. Fr. Paulinus Ikechukwu Ilo who was shot in the ankle by suspected herdsmen along Numeh-Nenwe Road in Nkanu East local government area on July 18, 2019, was still in the hospital.
Angered by the killing, placard-carrying Catholic priests in the state marched to the Government House to protest against the gruesome act.
With inscriptions such as ‘enough is enough’ ‘government should rise to defend Nigerians’, ‘God save Enugu people from murderous Fulani herdsmen, ‘enough is enough’, ‘the government should do something and save us’, the priests also matched through the major streets in the state capital to the police headquarters.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for Enugu police command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu said the police had commenced an investigation into the killing.
