Baptist church confirmed to journalists on Sunday that two of its members were shot dead while another three are fighting for their lives in an undisclosed hospital.
Anthony Iwuoma
The Nigerian Baptist Convention has narrated the pathetic ordeal of five of its 66 members abducted from Emmanuel Baptist Church, Kakau Daji of Kaduna State.
According to the president of the Baptist church, Rev Israel Akanji, two of the abducted worshippers were shot dead on Saturday, about seven days after their abduction, while three others are on life support as a result of injuries sustained in the shooting.
The shocking revelation was on Sunday made to journalists during the church’s Annual Thanksgiving/Church Building Dedication Service of the First Baptist Church (Agape Community), Warri, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
One of the worshippers was also killed during the incident and another, who was wounded, is still hospitalised.
Akanji lamented that the bandits might have begun executing the Abductees, as they threatened if the government did not commence negotiation with them and appealed to the government to intervene.
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He added that the bandits had said they were no longer interested in ransom but a roundtable discussion which is beyond the Nigerian Baptist Convention, as it is at the level of government to grant.
He said: “The kidnappers told them that until the government brings them to a roundtable discussion, they will not release our people.
“They are not demanding ransom, they’re saying the government must invite them to a roundtable discussion else they will begin to kill our people if govt does not oblige,” Baptist church said.
“But we are not the government. We don’t have power over the government to force them to a roundtable. And our people are in their hands.
“Very sadly yesterday, the seventh day of being in their custody, the kidnappers shot five of our people; two died instantly and others are lying critically in the hospital.
“We don’t know if they’ll ever survive. So, they’ve started carrying out their threats.”
“But we are not the government. We don’t have power over the government to force them to a roundtable. And our people are in their hands.
“Very sadly yesterday, the seventh day of being in their custody, the kidnappers shot five of our people; two died instantly and others are lying critically in the hospital.
“We don’t know if they’ll ever survive. So, they’ve started carrying out their threats.”