Abductors of Elisha Noma, a pastor of Nagarta Baptist Church, Angwan Makiri, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Wednesday demanded N20 million ransom to free him.
The pastor’s son, Emmanuel, who was abducted and later freed by the gunmen, said his father’s abductors have called and demanded the ransom.
“The kidnappers called this afternoon and demanded N20 million ransom. They still reiterated their threat that they will kill my father if we fail to bring the money within five days.
“But, we are still negotiating with them, because we cannot raise N20 million,” Mr. Emmaneul said.
Kidnappers numbering about 20 were said to have stormed the church’s parsonage at around 1:30 am the same day and fired indiscriminately to scare away neighbours.
After breaking into the home of the clergyman, they not only took him but also bundled his son, Emmanuel Elisha, away.
The kidnappers apparently changed their minds moments later and freed Emmanuel but not without threatening him to raise the required ransom within five days or risk the clergyman killed.
Recounting their ordeal, the young Noma said, “They came around 1 am. They were about 20 armed men who came to the village and started hitting at doors but nobody opened.
“They then forced their way into houses after vandalizing properties. They carted away some valuables including mobile phones and clothing in my mother’s box.
“They picked me together with my father. But after trekking for a while in the bush, I was released and they went away with my father. One of them was dressed in military camouflage.
“As they released me, they threatened that if we fail to bring money in five days even though they didn’t mention the specific ransom, they will kill my father.
“We are yet to report to the police because even when we had similar experience in the past and we contacted them, they did not do anything about it. So, it is of no use,” he said.
When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Yakubu Sabo said someone called to inform him of the abduction of the priest.
However, he said he was yet to get full details of what happened and promised to revert as soon as he did.
He never got back at the time of filing this report.