by Anike Jacobs
An American woman and member of Free Methodist Church was kidnapped in Kogi State on Monday morning.
She was abducted while doing a missionary work in a school in Kogi yesterday.
It was said that the men came into the school premises shooting sporadically to scare people away before kidnapping her and escaping through a bush part.
Police say they believe she was kidnapped for ransom.
Kogi state police spokesman Sola Collins Adebayo, told newsmen that “she was whisked away at around 10:00 am (0900 GMT) Monday. The kidnappers were “unknown gunmen…(who) came into the school premises shooting sporadically to scare away people before taking (the hostage) away into the bushes.
A statement on the church’s website confirmed the incident:
Dear Friends,
Early this morning we received a report that Rev. Phyllis Sortor, our missionary in Nigeria, was abducted from the Hope Academy compound in Emiworo, Kogi State, Nigeria by several persons. The U.S. Embassy has been notified, and the State Department and the FBI are working with local authorities to find and rescue her. We are calling on the U.S. church to join together in prayer for Phyllis’ safety and speedy release.
Bishop David Kendall, for Free Methodist World Missions, International Child Care Ministries and the Free Methodist Church in Nigeria.
