By Adenike Lawal
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers stormed the Agyaragu community in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Sunday night, abducting Mrs. Patience Nasamu, the breastfeeding wife of Pastor Samuel Nasamu, and another female church member.
Pastor Nasamu, who leads the Word of God Church in Agyaragu, said the abduction happened shortly after he left home to pray for a sick church member. His wife had stayed behind with their three-month-old baby and the visitor.
According to him, he received a distress call from his wife during the attack but could only hear her praying before the line went dead.
“When I returned, I found my home in chaos. My wife and the church member had been taken, and only our baby was left behind,” he said.
He explained that the gunmen, who targeted his apartment within a shared compound, first tried to break in with hammers. When unsuccessful, they fired shots into the air, forcing his wife to open the door. Both women were then seized.
Witnesses reported seeing strange men on motorcycles around 7:00 p.m., followed by gunfire. By 8:15 p.m., the kidnapping had occurred.
As of Monday, the abductors had not made contact. Security operatives have launched an investigation and appealed for calm.
A resident, who spoke anonymously, decried the worsening insecurity in the area. “People here live in constant fear. Farmers, traders; everyone is a target. If no ransom is paid, victims are killed. Agyaragu is now at the mercy of kidnappers, and we plead with Governor Abdullahi Sule to take urgent action,” he said.
The incident adds to a growing wave of kidnappings in Nasarawa, heightening calls for stronger security in vulnerable communities.
