So many lives have been lost to the twin menace of Boko Haram terrorists and armed Fulani militias and the two major religions in the country has had its own share of the casualties. This piece will be taking a look at 20 pastors who were killed by these two groups and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
1. The Rev. Dennis Bagauri
Rev. Denis Bagauri,a clergyman with Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN), was assassinated by unknown gunmen at his residence in Nassarawo Jereng of Mayobelwa Local Government Area of Adamawa State on Jan. 20, 2020
Before his demise, he was a clergyman and politician, who served as a Senior Special Assistant on Religious Matters during the reign of the Muhammed Jibrilla Bindow administration in the state.
2.Rev. Lawan Andimi
Andimi was the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria’s chapter in Michika Local Government area of Adamawa State. The pastor was captured on Jan. 3, 2020 following a raid in Michika carried out by the Boko Haram extremist group.
Before his death ,he was shown in a ransom video released by his captors. In the video, the pastor asks fellow leaders in the Christian community and state government officials to facilitate his release.
“All conditions that one finds himself is in the hand of God,” he says in the video.
“By the grace of God, I will be together with my wife and my children and all my colleagues .If the opportunity has not been granted, maybe it is the will of God.”
He was executed few days later.
3.Rev. Joseph Kurah
He is a pastor with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Obi town, Nasarawa, State. He was killed by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen on 30 June,2016
He went to his farm with three other people to cut down trees for roofing wood. But as they arrived at the farm, two armed men suddenly appeared from behind them. The attackers chased them and quickly surrounded Rev. Kurah, while his three companions managed to flee in different directions without harm. The lifeless and severely mutilated body of Rev. Kurah was later recovered from the scene.
4.Pastor, Taiwo Noah
The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, pastor was murdered by Boko Haram in Borno when Boko Haram insurgents attacked in 2014.
Pastor Taiwo Noah was in charge of a local RCCG parish at a village in Askira-Uba, Borno State,
5.Pastor George Ojih
The Deeper Life Pastor and his family were amongst those who fled to a military barracks for safety during the heat of the Boko haram attack in Maiduguri in July 2009
Several days later when the violence subsided a bit, he went in search of a widow from his church who wasn’t hiding in the barracks with them.
During that rescue mission, he and a deacon were captured by the terrorists and taken to Boko Haram camp .Mohammed Yusuf, leader of Boko Haram, addressed a group of captured Christians asking them to convert to Islam or die. Pastor George refused. Instead he urged the other Christian captives to stay strong.
Incensed , Yusuf ordered for a sword to be brought and as Pastor George continued to encourage the others,he pinned him down and slit his throat in their full view. Not done, holding up his severed head, Yusuf declared to the trembling group, “this is what we do to those who refuse to accept Islam!”
A few days later, Nigerian security forces captured Yusuf and he died in custody. His cup was full having defied the God of heaven for too long and shed too much innocent blood.
6.Rev. Faye Pama Musa
On Tuesday May 14 2013 ,gunmen believed to be members of the Islamic extremist Boko Haram group killed Rev. Faye Pama Musa, secretary of the Borno state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The gunmen reportedly followed him from his church building, where he was holding an evening Bible study, to his house in the Government Reservation Area in Maiduguri, and shot him dead there.
7.Rev Anthony Jata’u
The clergy man of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) was on his way to his new station in Katsina State alongside his wife, three children and two sisters-in-law when they were attacked by bandits in Gusau, Zamfara State in February 2019.
However, that would not be the first encounter of Jata’u with kidnappers. It was learnt that he was once abducted in September 2006, while serving at St Andrew’s DCC Diocese of Nnewi, Anambra State. After spending about two weeks in the kidnapers’ captivity, he was released. But he was not lucky the second time as his body would later be found by the roadside after he was killed.
The gunmen reportedly went away with Jata’u’s family members and hereafter demanded a ransom of N10m for their release.
8. Pastor Godwin Benedict Amana
Pastor Godwin Benedict Amana of Deeper Life Church was killed by Bokoharam near Maiduguri on his way to Deeper Life retreat in 2019.He was asked to deny Jesus he refused and he was shot through his mouth.
9.Rev Fr David Tanko
Rev Fr David Tanko, was murdered at Kufai Amadu in the Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State, by suspected herdsmen
The cleric was said to be on his way to Takum for a peace meeting with his fellow clergymen when he was set ablaze inside his vehicle.
10.Pastor Jeremiah Omolara
In August 2019, gunmen killed the resident pastor of the Living Faith Church, Romi New Extension, Kaduna State.
The incident took place along the Kaduna-Abuja road while the pastor and the wife were travelling to Abuja
The gunmen reportedly opened fire on their vehicle, killing the pastor on the spot. They later took the wife into the bush and demanded a N50m ransom. It was learnt that their son escaped from the bandits.
11.Pastor Luka Ubangari
The pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at Angwan Anjo village, near Godogodo in the Jema’a Local Government Area (LGA), was shot and killed while returning from an evangelistic outreach in Golkofa village. The pastor was ambushed and murdered as he was returning to his village on August 19 , 2016.
12.Pastor Pius Oromusele
The pastor was reportedly killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in his farm at Odigie community in the Ovia North -East Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was gathered that Eromosele was abducted by the gunmen while working on his farm at Odighi community on March 29 2018.
13.Pastor Micah Wayit
The pastor and wife were targeted and killed on Thursday 28 June ,2018 by Islamic Fulani cattle herdsmen while returning from Badurum, a village about 30 miles from Jos, Plateau state central Nigeria. The Evangelical Church Wining All (ECWA) pastor and the Chairman of the local chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Miango, near Jos, had gone to greet some Muslims who were affected by an earlier attack.
14.Pastor Joshua Adah
The popular Nigerian pastor, who founded and operated a school that provides over 400 kids with free education in the village of Bantaje, also fell victim to the wrath of the Fulani extremist. He was “butchered” to death on his way back from pastoral duties on January 23 ,2015.
15.Reverend Hosea M. Akuchi
The Pastor of Nasara Baptist Church, at Guguwa village in Rigasa, Kaduna, Central Nigeria, was shot and killed, in what looks like a targeted attack, shortly after midnight on Monday 20 August ,2018
16. Adamu Gyang Wurim
Adamu Gyang Wurim, a 67-year-old Pastor in charge of Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN), LCC Abonong, in Foron District of Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau state was locked in the house and roasted like chickens when armed killer herdsmen invaded his community on Tuesday August 29, 2018,
His wife and their three children were equally not left out.
17. Reverend Samuel Mafulul
On Monday, 21st January, 2019, people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen killed Reverend Samuel Mafulul,the pastor of Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Karara Marit Local Church Council, alongside his neighbor, who also is a member of the church,in Karara village of Ropp District in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Plateau State.
18.Rev Fr Paul Offu
In August 2019, Fr . Offu, the Parish Priest of Ugbuakwa was allegedly shot dead by suspected Fulani herdsmen along Agwu road, Enugu. He was said to be travelling for a visit to one of his family friends when the incident happened.
19 & 20. Rev. Father Joseph Gor and Rev. Father Felix
The two Catholic priests, Rev. Father Joseph Gor and Rev. Father Felix Tyolaha, as well as 16 other worshippers were killed by Fulani Herdsmen at the 5 a.m. mass of the St. Ignatius Quasi Parish in Ukpor-Mbalom, Benue State on April 24, 2018.
Be the first to comment