Kidnappers kill ECWA pastor in Kogi after collecting N1m ransom

Pastor David Musa, of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), was murdered by his captors in Kogi State after they obtained a ransom of N1 million.

The late Pastor Musa was reportedly assassinated on Tuesday after being kidnapped on Saturday, November 11, 2023, in Obajana, which is part of Kogi State’s Lokoja Local Government Area.

A churchgoer going by the name of Mary described how the pastor was assassinated, saying, “That ugly day, the pastor went to his farm.”

 “So, his wife was waiting for him to return home, but she didn’t see her husband.

“When night fell, the wife raised the alarm, and the church members, including residents of the community, went to his farm to search for him.

“It was then that they discovered that the pastor had been kidnapped.

“The abductors got in touch with the family, demanding N20 million. Since the church and the family could not raise such an amount of money, they pleaded with the kidnappers, and they reduced the ransom to N1 million.

“The kidnappers insisted that when they would be bringing the money, the church should come along with recharge cards, chicken, and many alcoholic drinks for their consumption.

Two members of the church were sent to deliver the money and the items requested by the kidnappers

“When they got to the kidnappers’ den, they saw our pastor alive. They now instructed our pastor and the two other church members who brought the money to start going home.

 “Unfortunately, they later called the pastor to come back, and he did as instructed because he knew that there was no way he could run from their place since his abductors were holding sophisticated weapons.

“When he was coming back to them, they immediately shot at him, and he died on the spot. They later brought his lifeless body back to Obajana.”

The entire church and community are in grief as a result of the catastrophe.

It was also learned that the news of the pastor’s murder was initially shared on the church’s social media platform on Wednesday morning.

The short message read, “It is with a heavy heart, but in total submission to the will of God, that I write to inform you that the abductors of our brother, Pastor Musa David, have killed him after collecting a ransom of N1 million last night.

“Let our prayers be with the family, the church, and the DCC in this trying moment.”

David used to be in charge of the Ajaokuta-based ECWA Bishara. Fear has spread throughout his church and the state as a whole after his horrific murder.

The Kogi State Police Command, meanwhile, verified the incident on Thursday afternoon. The command has opened an inquiry into the incident, according to SP William Ovye Aya, the state police public relations officer, and those found guilty would be arrested and put on trial.