Suspected kidnappers on Sunday night abducted Mrs Patience Nasamu, wife of Pastor Samuel Nasamu of the Word of God Church, along with a female church member in Agyaragu, Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The incident reportedly occurred around 8:15 p.m. when armed men stormed the pastor’s residence.
According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants fired sporadically before forcing their way into the compound.
Pastor Nasamu, who narrated his ordeal, said his wife, who is nursing a three-month-old baby, was taken alongside a church member who had visited after service. He explained that the abductors left his infant child behind.
“I had stepped out briefly to pray for a sick member of the church when my wife called me. I could only hear her praying over the phone, and then everything went silent. By the time I rushed home, my wife and our visitor were gone,” the cleric recounted.
He added that the attackers initially tried to smash through the doors and windows with hammers but resorted to gunfire when they failed to gain access. Fearing for her life and that of the visitor, Mrs Nasamu reportedly opened the door, after which both women were seized.
Local residents confirmed that strange individuals were spotted earlier in the evening riding motorcycles around the community, raising suspicion before gunshots echoed through the area.
Since the abduction, the pastor said he has received no communication from the kidnappers. He, however, noted that police operatives later arrived at the scene and assured the family that investigations were underway.
Meanwhile, community members have decried the rising wave of insecurity in Agyaragu. A resident, who requested anonymity, described the situation as unbearable.
“We live every day in fear. Farmers, traders, and families are being picked up almost daily. If ransom is not paid, lives are at stake. Governor Abdullahi Sule must act quickly because Agyaragu is practically at the mercy of kidnappers,” the resident lamented.
The Nasarawa State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the latest incident.