Kidnappers Abduct Winners Pastor During Service In Calabar

The Resident Pastor of Winners Chapel, in Calabar, Cross River State, Mr. Seyi Adekunle, was on Saturday, kidnapped by unknown kidnappers, who bagged into the church premises around 8pm. The scene created chaos among members of the church, who had assembled at the church to pray for the Sunday service.
The confusion arose from the fact that the church is located next to the headquarters of the Airport Division of the Nigeria Police in Calabar, but it took officers and men of the division a while to get to the church after they were called for an emergency.

The eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the crime, told Southern City News on Sunday that three armed kidnappers came into the church building quietly during the prayer session while the fourth person, who was masked, pointed the pastor out in the midst of the praying group.
She said the Pastor was immediately taken by the abductors after he was identified. She emphasized that it was likely that the masked person that identified the pastor was familiar with the church.
The kidnappers reportedly operated for more than five minutes before zooming off towards the Goodluck Jonathan Bypass.
Another eyewitness said the police were contacted while the kidnappers were still inside the church, but added that their response was slow.
The eyewitness disclosed that the kidnappers forcefully took the pastor to the waiting vehicle outside the dark premises and drove towards the newly constructed Goodluck Jonathan Bypass. “They wasted some time before they drove towards the Bypass. I am sure if the police had come at the nick of time, they would have been able to rescue the pastor,” he said.

However, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey, opposed with the allegations of slow response, saying the police, led by the Divisional Police Officer of the Airport Division, Mr. Asuquo Ebong, stormed the venue immediately the information got to them.

The police went there as soon as they got the distress call. The DPO was physically there with the team that went there. We are seriously trailing the kidnappers and I assure you that the pastor will soon be released,” Bassey added.