CAN Reacts As Gunmen Kill Pastor, Kidnap Church Members In Ogun State

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ogun State chapter has condemned the killing of a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) by some armed attackers who also abducted seven worshippers.

The Ogun State CAN in a statement on Sunday by its General Secretary, Dr Stephen Adeyemi described the occurrence as worrisome and urged the government to step up efforts to secure worship centres in the state.

Naija News reports the attack took place this weekend at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Desires of Nations Parish located in Abule-Ori, part of the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area.

The attackers invaded the church, shot the pastor, and abducted seven worshippers.

The abducted persons were later rescued by security operatives.

Reacting to the entire episode, CAN in a statement by its General Secretary in Ogun State said, “It is a very sad incident. And sincerely, this brings to mind a kind of question that, is it now a sin for the worshipers to gather to worship God? We are talking about being in the church, our sanctuary. We are talking about worshipers gathering in the temple to pray, praise and sing and all these attacks are coming to the children of God right in the house of God.

“Sincerely speaking, it is worrisome and it is already creating fear in the kind of society we find ourselves in. It is like saying that we are not safe. This has happened before; now it is happening again, under a new government.

“It means we need to cry to the government the more. I believe that this problem has a solution. We are crying to the government. The government needs to look into this issue of insecurity. How these people come freely into the house of God, operate and go away like that. The government needs to help us with this.”

The State So-Safe Corps Commander, Soji Ganzallo, confirmed the attack as well as the rescue of the abducted victims.

He added that his officers killed one of the kidnappers during a gun battle in response to the distress call.

Ganzallo, in a statement by the So-Safe Corps Director of Information and Public Relations, Moruf Yusuf, said, “The special operation team of the corps in the Owode-Egba Zonal Command, under ACC Jimoh Omoniyi, received a distress call that some of the members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Desires of Nations Parish, under Ogun Province 22, Abule-Ori, in the Obafemi Owode LGA were attacked during a vigil, while seven members of the church were kidnapped and the pastor killed.

“The seven victims were rescued unhurt while one of the kidnappers was killed and many of the suspects sustained serious injury during a gunfire exchange.”

Also speaking on the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, said one of the pastors of the church, Adesina Oyesegun, reported the case to the police. She confirmed the rescue of the victims, adding that effort is ongoing o arrest the fleeing gunmen.

She said, “The hoodlums were shooting sporadically, as a result, a pastor, Kayode Oluwakemi, 56, sustained bullet wounds in his chest and unfortunately died on the spot. The kidnapped victims have regained their freedom. An effort is in progress to arrest other fleeing suspects that are still at large.”