Nigerian Pastor Kidnaps Baby at Gunpoint, Police Rescue Him From Lynching
Mbano Police recently rescued a Pentecostal Pastor and his wife from a possible lynching from town youth after they suspected his involvement in the kidnapping of a one-month-old baby in Nigeria this week.
Angry Amauzari youths had arranged to punish the man known as Pastor Obinna for his crime against the child. Obinna along with two other men who are still at large allegedly stormed a family residence in Okwuosu Amauzari around 1:30 a.m. and kidnapped an infant at gun point.
An anonymous villager commented on the incident to Vanguard, stating that the mother's loud cry attracted residents of the vigilante group who would later plot to kill the pastor.
Obinna took the baby back to his place of residence after the initial kidnapping took place, where its cries alarmed neighbors and villagers. The pastor than put a call through to another vigilante group from Afor Amauzari and told them that armed robbers had invaded his home, according to the anonymous villager.
Both groups eventually made it to Obinna's place of residence in Umuezeduru, Amauzari and saw his wife breastfeeding the newborn they had kidnapped.
"Not satisfied with the drama playing out before them, the group from Okwuosu decided to go and bring the mother of the stolen baby," said the villager. "She quickly identified her baby on arrival and the pastor and his wife were immediately arrested."
The villager also claims that a firearm was recovered by police from the pastor, who also revealed one of his colleagues in the crime during his interrogation.