Armed bandits disrupt funeral of Ecwa clergyman who was killed after being kidnapped

ARMED bandits have forcefully dispersed a crowd of mourners who gathered to bury Evangelical Church Winning All (Ecwa) clergyman  Reverend Adamu Buba who was killed when armed hoodlums attacked his church in Kaduna State.

Early this morning, Reverend Buba was found dead after he had been kidnapped when bandits attacked his Tudun Ibru community in Kajuru Local Government Area  of Kaduna State yesterday night. Apparently, his community was attacked on Monday night, during which three people were killed and others were kidnapped.

Reverend Buba was found near the community and the church decided to bury him but according to  Reverend Joseph John Hayab, the chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, at his funeral gunmen started shooting and people fled. It is not clear if it was the same set of gunmen or another gang of hoodlums.

Reverend Hayab said: “The kidnappers then moved to Doka and abducted nine people. The pastor of Ecwa Church Tudun Ibru, Reverend Adamu Buba was among those kidnapped but this morning, while villagers were on the heels of the kidnappers, they found his body.”

In a similar development, barely 24 hours after bandits struck at a Catholic Church in Kauru in Kaduna State  and abducted a Catholic priest, the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan has  confirmed the release of Reverend Father Emmanuel Silas. Bandits had kidnapped Father Silas at the parish rectory at St Charles Catholic Church in Zambina, in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State yesterday.

Reverend Father Emmanuel Okolo, the chancellor of the diocese, thanked everyone who offered prayers for the quick release of the Reverend Silas. He issued a statement confirming that reverend Father Silas has been released.

He added: “With hearts filled with joy, we raise our voices in a symphony of praises as we announce the return of our brother, Reverend Father Emmanuel Silas. He was abducted by armed persons from the parish rectory at St Charles Catholic Church, Zambina, in Kauru Local Government Area, in the early hours of Monday, July 4th 2022,”