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By Thompson Yamput, Lokoja/Polycarp Auta, Jos, June 13, 2022
The Police in Kogi on Monday confirmed the abduction of three missionaries by gunmen suspected to be kidnapers.
According to the police, the abducted missionaries are Evangelist Peter Adigidzi, Pastor Mike Baba and Pastor Sunday Abah, all working with Child Evangelical Fellowship (CEF) and all residents of Lokoja.
In another development, gunmen, also abducted Rev. Fr. James Kantoma, the Parish Priest of St. Anthony Catholic Church, Angware, Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau.
DSP Alabo Alfred, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Plateau state, confirmed the abduction of the Priest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Jos.
The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Edward Egbuka, who confirmed the kidnap of the missionaries in Kogi to NAN in Lokoja, said they got a report from the Children Evangelism Ministry that three of its missionaries were on Friday abducted.
“We are aware of the unfortunate and worrisome incident and have taken drastic measures to track down the suspected abductors, to rescue the clerics,” Egbuka said.
Egbuka said that the police tactical team had been deployed to strategic places in search of the victims and to arrest the kidnapers to face the wrath of the law.
The Kogi Coordinator of Children Evangelism Ministry, Evangelist Charles Esho, explained that the victims were on an assignment at Ejule Community in Ofu Local Government Area of the state when the incident occurred.
Esho appealed to the security operatives to assist in searching and rescuing the missionaries to unite them with their family members.
“As a ministry, we are passionately appealing to the security operatives to do something drastic to rescue the clerics from their abductors.
“We are all worried over the safety of the abducted brothers as we don’t know where they (abductors) have taken them to, as up till this moment there’s no word from them,” he said.
The clergyman called for prayers for the safety and divine rescue of the victims within the shortest possible time.
The Plateau State PPRO, DSP Alfred, said that Rev. Fr. Kantoma, who is also the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the local government, was kidnapped on Sunday night from the church’s vicarage.
He said the command has deployed officers and men from the anti-kidnapping unit to the community.
“Our men are already working to ensure that the cleric regains his freedom and apprehend those behind the abduction,” the PPRO said.
Speaking, Rev. Fr. Polycarp Lubo, the Chairman of CAN in the state, described the incident as “unfortunate and sad.”
“Since the gunmen took the priest away, we have not heard anything either from him or his abductors.
“This is so sad, but we are praying for him that no harm will befall him wherever he is,” he said.
Lubo, however, called on government and security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted priest and others in captivity.
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