Loading ...MAKURDI — The fragile security architecture of Benue State has suffered another heavy blow after heavily armed gunmen breached a church compound, abducting a prominent cleric and two members of his congregation.
The victims—identified as Rev. Dr. Samuel Gbinde and two of his congregants—were violently taken in the early hours of Tuesday, June 30, 2026. According to highly placed denominational sources, the attackers targeted the pastor’s official residence located directly within the premises of the NKST Church (Universal Reform Christian Church) in Andyar, situated within the Ishan Classis region of the state.
The Raid at Andyar
Eyewitnesses from the community indicate that the armed gang operated with absolute impunity, invading the church compound under the cover of darkness. The gunmen bypassed local community lookouts, forced their way into the cleric’s home, and bundled him out along with the two church members who were within the vicinity.
The Executive Committee of the NKST church leadership broke the news to the public via an emotional official statement signed by the church’s General Secretary, Rev. Dr. T. A. Targba:
“It is with a heavy heart, yet with unwavering confidence in the sovereignty of Almighty God, that we announce the unfortunate abduction of our cleric, Rev. Dr. Samuel Gbinde, along with two members of his congregation… They were abducted from the pastor’s residence at NKST Church, Andyar.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, the immediate families and the leadership of the Andyar congregation confirm that the armed captors have not established formal contact, leaving the location and safety of the abducted victims completely unknown.
Institutional Response: Church Demands Offensive Shift
The abduction of Rev. Gbinde has triggered deep anxieties across the Christian community in the Middle Belt, a region that has repeatedly faced targeted attacks against religious leaders and agrarian communities.
| Incident Profile | Case Specifics |
| Primary Victims | Rev. Dr. Samuel Gbinde + 2 Congregants |
| Date & Time | Early hours of Tuesday, June 30, 2026 |
| Exact Location | Pastor’s Residence, NKST Church, Andyar, Benue State |
| Current Status | Captives missing; Security tracking underway |
Faced with this latest violation, the NKST leadership launched an aggressive appeal to both the Benue State Government and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, demanding a radical departure from standard law enforcement responses.
The church stated that merely responding to kidnapping cases after they occur has proven completely ineffective. Instead, they challenged security forces to initiate aggressive, intelligence-led offensive operations to clear out bandit camps before they strike.
“It is imperative to take the fight to the perpetrators rather than merely responding after these heinous crimes have been committed,” Rev. Targba noted in his directive.
Requisite Checkpoints
The Benue State Police Command has deployed localized tracking teams to comb the forest lines around the Ishan Classis axis. However, local security analysts caution that the delay in deploying aerial surveillance assets often allows kidnap syndicates to navigate deep into neighboring ungoverned spaces, complicating immediate rescue timelines.
The church has urged all chapters and supporters nationwide to maintain a unified prayer stance while awaiting an official update from field operatives.
