Gunmen have abducted the founder of the Solid Rock Kingdom Church, Apostle John Okoriko, at Ibekwe Akpan Nya, in the Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Our correspondent learnt that the hoodlums reached out to the family and demanded a ransom of N100m for his release.
It was gathered that the gunmen scaled through the fence, forced their way into the church compound and shot into the air to scare their victims.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gang dragged the octogenarian outside the gate and whisked him away.
According to the witness, the police were contacted immediately and some youths joined the policemen to comb the bushes in search of the man of God.
He added that the incident threw the church and the community into panic, as the whereabouts of the pastor was unknown.
The spokesman for the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Odiko Macdon, who confirmed the abduction of the pastor, said the command had commenced investigation into the incident.
He noted that the abduction happened on Tuesday, April 19, around 5pm at the victim’s residence in Mkpat Enin.