Daji Sani in Yola
A clergyman with Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN), Rev. Denis Bagauri, has been assassinated by unknown gunmen at his residence in Nassarawo Jereng of Mayobelwa Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Bagauri, who was popularly known as Pastor Nyako, was attacked and killed by his assassins at his residence in Nassarawo Jereng on Sunday night while he and his family members were preparing to go to bed.
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.
Public Relations Officer, Adamawa State Police Command, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, while confirming the incident, said he could not comment on the issues because he was yet to be briefed by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area.
He said he has called the DPO on reading the news online, but the officer in charge was yet to send the report to him at the time of filing this report, but promised to furnish journalists with details surrounding the pastor’s death.
Reacting to the development, Bindow, in a statement by his former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Martins Dickson, prayed for the repose of the soul of late pastor.
Bindow described Bagauri as a God-fearing man, who always upheld the truth. He called on security agencies in the state to step up their tactics and intelligence gathering, adding that another mindless death would be one too many.
“The government and security agencies must synergise and put in more effort to stop these ugly and unbearable trends; protecting the lives and property of the people must be prioritised by government,” he said.
Also, LCCN in Adamawa State has condemned in strongest term the killing of Bagauri by unkown gunmen at his residence.
LCCN, in a statement by the church’s Archbishop in Adamawa, Most Rev. Musa Panti Filibus, said it was saddened and troubled by the news of the assassination of its clergy.
The church condemned the gruesome murder of Bagauri, who has been in active service in the vineyard of God, adding that there could never be a justification whatsoever for the killing of such an innocent person.
“Therefore, the church is calling on the government security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are fished out and are brought to book.
On behalf of the bishops, pastors and the entire congregations of the LCCN, the Archbishop condoles with the family of late Rev Bagauri and prays for God’s Grace at this time,” the statement said.
The Archbishop called for calm as the church tasked the law enforcement agents to do their job by ensuring thorough investigation.
However, it appeared Adamawa State has been under siege of kidnappers, assassins and criminals following the series of insecurity challenges threatening the well-being of the residents. Virtually on daily basis, there has been sad news of kidnapping, killings, armed robbery, among others.
Security experts have called on Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to step up strategies to clamp down on these criminal activities in the state, adding that the government started well on security but it seemed it’s missing it now.
Till now, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Michka branch of the state, Mr. Lawan Andimi, who was abducted by Boko Haram insurgents recently, has not yet been released.
Since he appeared on a media broadcast shared by insurgents on the internet, sharing his experience with the insurgency, nobody knew his whereabouts, which seemed to indicate that he’s been forgotten.
