How was your father kidnapped?
He was kidnapped between 11:45pm and 12 midnight on Wednesday (May 27, 2020) by gunmen that came to the house. Three gunmen came inside the house. They were well armed as if they were coming to fight Boko Haram with Ak47 rifles. There were eight of them and they looked well prepared as if it took them time to get set because they came fully armed.
Is it true they rode on motorbikes to your place that night and left the same way?
We did not see any bikes around the house; they could have left the bikes somewhere else but we didn’t see any bike. They left on foot. It was raining so I could not tell if they trekked to the house. They pointed guns at us as they were leaving and we couldn’t follow them to know the direction they took. And we didn’t hear the sound of motorbikes or any vehicle. Maybe they parked somewhere far from the house, we wouldn’t know. Nobody was outside at that time and it was raining. There was no help from anyone. There was no electricity and everywhere was dark. They said they came for our father and not us.
Did they hurt anyone?
They did not hurt anyone except the home help they met outside who granted them access into the house. They slapped him across the face and told him to call someone inside to open the door for them. Aside from him, nobody was hurt.
How many minutes did the operation last?
It lasted between 20 and 30 minutes. They left the house around 12.30am.
How scared were you and others at home?
I was not too scared because that was not the first time I would experience such or have such an experience with people with guns. They came in the middle of the night while it was raining. Thank God we had already prayed before they came in that time because they got scared and left. They didn’t hurt any of the children and my dad was not hurt too.
What did the kidnappers say when they came?
When they came, they looked at my dad and said, ‘We are here for you, comply and come with us.’ That was how they took him away.
How have you and other family members been coping?
We seriously miss him but we also know God has been in control from that day till now. We have been praying; we have organised prayer sessions for him. We trust God and know that soon, He will bring him back because we seriously miss him.
Are you afraid for his life?
Certainly, we are human beings so being afraid is sure. It is certain that we will be afraid for his life but with God on our side, we believe all things are possible to those that believe. We are praying to God that He should preserve his life and keep him from harm.
How has his abduction affected you?
His abduction has affected all his children, including me because he has been a source of encouragement for us. He was the one leading morning prayers from January till when he was kidnapped. He was also the one leading prayers at night but I have been leading prayers since he has not been around. I keep asking God: ‘When will my father come back?’ Prayers have given us strength and we have asked God to guarantee his safety.
What was your last conversation with him?
I said to him, ‘It is well with you. It is the same God that is allowing them to take you away that will bring you back.’ His children and grandchildren have been around since the day he was kidnapped. His grandchildren have been asking us: ‘Where is grandpa?’ They have been asking us till today and we keep telling them that their grandpa has gone for a retreat and will soon be back. We told them that we should all be praying for his safe return.
What was your father’s response when you said that?
He said, ‘It is well. All is well.’
What kind of support has the family received from the Christian Association of Nigeria and his church?
His church and CAN have really helped. They have been playing a spiritual role in terms of offering prayers and encouragement. Also, prayer groups have been put together in various churches and denominations; prayer vigils have been organised for him. Honestly, since the day he was kidnapped, the church has been praying for his safe return. Even today (Friday), CAN representatives came together with some church brethren to pray in our house.
What kind of support have you received from the police?
Since that day, the police have been visiting us. They said they had been working assiduously to secure his release. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bola Longe, was here and he assured us that the kidnappers would be captured and that our father would be released soon. That was the assurance the commissioner of police gave when he visited us yesterday.
What did the kidnappers look like?
They are Fulani herdsmen, judging by their looks. I suspect they were not from this area; I suspect they were from part of Niger.
What are your prayers?
We pray that God Almighty who neither sleeps nor slumbers will be there for this innocent man because he is a tested and trusted man of God. He is a man who believes in God and miracles. Well, we strongly believe that prayers will bring him back home to us. God assured us that soon, He would finish what He has started and his servant would be set free without being harmed and that assurance has kept coming to us since when he was kidnapped. God assured us that our dad would return without any complications.
Since his abduction, have the kidnappers communicated with the family?
We called him on his mobile phone but nobody picked up. Later, the phone was switched off but we believe our prayer is working. The easier communication is prayer. We believe our prayers will get to anywhere they are. If God in heaven could respond to us, why won’t they, who are on earth, respond to us? We know that spiritually, our prayers are making contact and we will see the result.
It was learnt that they already made contact with the family and demanded N20m as ransom, how true is that?
We have been hearing different rumours; we heard they demanded N20m, while some people have said it is N30m. There have been rumours but we have not yet got any tangible thing from the real kidnappers. All those comments are coming from outsiders. Some say we spoke to him. But you know that kidnappers don’t talk to everyone; they talk to a specific person (in the family) and we have yet to get any direct information from them even though there was an attempt this morning (Friday morning) to get information from them but nothing yet.
Some people say they were sent by politicians, what do you think about that?
We don’t know the people that sent them. They did not specify their mission.
What do you want the Nasarawa State Government and security agencies to do?
I am pleading with the state government to rescue our father; he has been a sincere man since he became the state CAN chairman. He has spent his time serving the Christian community in the state, even more than his family. Most times, you would see him at the CAN secretariat or in church, praying that there should be peace and unity in the state. Now that he is not around, it’s affecting us. I want to plead that if there is anything they can do to save him, they should do it. They should collaborate with security agencies to get our father back home, safe and sound. We will be very happy when that happens. The security agencies in the state should bring an end to kidnapping in the state because it is polluting it.
One of your neighbours has left his house since the incident occurred and is afraid to return, what do you think about that?
If the number one Christian citizen of the state can be kidnapped, then he is not safe. People are afraid because if the CAN chairman could be kidnapped in the state capital, then they know they are not safe. So if the government and security agencies can come together to find ways to end such crimes in the state, it will do us a lot of good. If this continues, people will be scared of coming to stay in the state. This is becoming a matter of concern. Our neighbor was kidnapped twice and has left the state for Taraba. He said he could no longer stay in Nasarawa because the state is not safe. So that is the effect kidnapping is having on the state. We have a peaceful and loving governor; he should address this issue so that God and people will be happy.
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