THE Angwan Kwaso, Tunga-Maje, community in Zuba, Federal Capital Territory, were yesterday thrown into fear as suspected armed herdsmen attack a church, New Ona Iwa Mimo Onimajemu Cherubim and Seraphim church, carting away with monies, phones and other valuables.
When Nigerian Tribune visited the community, it gathered that the bandits numbering 4 and on Nigerian Army and Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp uniforms, attacked the church around 2: am on Monday, initially abducted three women who were participating in the church’s vigil.
It was however learnt that as the bandits were leaving with the women, the leader of the Church, Prophet Oladejo John, picked a bottle, threw it in the direction of the bandits, upon breaking, the bottle made a gun-like sound which forced the bandits to shoot back and disappeared, leaving the women behind.
Narrating the incident, one of the victims of the attack, Mrs komolafe Bose said “as they came midnight, they are four in number, one of them stayed outside with his face covered, two of them wore army uniform, while the remaining two wore civil Defense uniforms, when then entered the church, they ordered everyone to lie down, they asked after the pastor, then Daddy (Prophet Oladejo John) stood, they searched everyone, took our phones, money and other valuables in the church.
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“They asked Daddy where is his gun, Daddy asked them to introduce themselves first, then one of them used a stick and hit Daddy, another one attacked Daddy and beat him, asking him where he kept his money and phone.
“After robbing us, they took four women away including Daddy’s wife, they took me with my daughter, when getting outside the Church, they asked me to go back, while my daughter was taken away, one their way inside the bush, they told one of the women to go back, and then left with the remaining three, they told the Daddy to pay N5 million for the women to be released.
“Immediately they left, Daddy came out, he followed them, on his way, he saw the woman that was released, then he asked her where the other women were, she told him that they took them away, then Daddy came back, took a bottle of soft drink around the Church premises, then threw it in the direction of the bandits, it then hit a rock and sounded like a gunshot, they fired back at Daddy’s direction and ran away, leaving the three women behind”.
When Nigerian Tribune asked how they knew the attackers were herdsmen, Mrs Bose said “when they were inside the Church, they were using the sounds used in controlling cows to communicate, they came with guns and cutlasses.
She, however, said, “we called the Zuba Police station that morning, they came immediately with enough officers”.
Another resident in the community Deacon Akinlami Aduragbem while speaking with Nigerian Tribune, said “am calling in the President, the Vice President, the Minister of Defense that please we need the presence of soldiers in this community, what happened in Benue should not repeat itself here, if not, we will resort defending ourselves with anything we see”
Aduragbem further said, “the president should act now, even this night we will not sleep without Policemen around”.
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