Nigeria: one pastor released, another killed after kidnapping

Christians in Nigeria are mourning after one pastor was killed and another kidnapped during an armed attack in Plateau State. Hills Emmanuel, formerly of Dunamis Church, and Pastor Gabriel Joseph Dipak of Christ Apostolic Church were travelling with seven others in a minibus on 28 August when gunmen stopped the vehicle. The other passengers were robbed, but the two pastors were reportedly singled out and abducted after their Christian ministry became known. The following morning, Emmanuel’s body was discovered near the scene with multiple stab wounds. He leaves behind his wife, Scholastica, and five children. Dipak remained captive while kidnappers reportedly demanded a ransom from his family, but he was subsequently released and safely reunited with them. It remains unclear whether money was paid. The traumatic incident is another example of the insecurity confronting Christian communities in parts of Nigeria, where kidnappings, killings and attacks on church leaders continue to cause widespread fear, bereavement and displacement among believers and their families.

Pray: for comfort for Emmanuel’s family, healing for Pastor Dipak, and protection for Nigeria’s vulnerable Christian communities. (Psalm 116:15)
More: www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/nigeria-pastor-kidnapping/