Dunamis church auditorium caves in on pastor, members in Benue

Tragedy has again, struck in Benue State as an auditorium of the Dunamis International Gospel Church, DIGC, located at Mission Ward North Bank in Makurdi, the State capital caved in on a pastor and some other members of the church.

The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, killing a pastor whose name is yet to be confirmed by Val9ja News.

The three other members of the church who were praying alongside the Pastor were said to have narrowly escaped death but sustained various degrees of injury and are in the hospital receiving treatments.

While the cause of the incident is still unclear, witnesses told newsmen that the church had held a service on Monday night and that the pastor was left behind with few others who were praying.

A witness simply identified as Kole said, “following the rainfall afterwards, they couldn’t leave back to their homes so they continued in their prayers when suddenly the church building collapsed at about 3am today (Tuesday) and killed the pastor.”

The source while declining to mention the Pastor’s name, said the deceased hailed from the eastern part of Kogi state and was married to an Akwa Ibom woman.

State Commissioner of Police, CP Batholomew Onyeka, while briefing newsmen in his office at the Command Headquarters in Makurdi said “Only one person has been confirmed dead for now.”

It was also gathered that residential buildings and electricity infrastructure around the building were also affected by the collapse.

Police operatives from the C Division, North Bank, had however, reportedly rushed to the scene of the collapsed building alongside other emergency officials.

In a recent development, several Boko Haram and Islamic States of West Africa Province, ISWAP terrorists have been reportedly neutralized in air strikes by operatives of the Nigerian Air Force.

The NAF said the operation was carried out on the fringes of Lake Chad in Borno State.

In a recent statement in Abuja, the NAF Director, Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the air strikes obliterated the terrorists’ hideouts and destroyed their structures and strategic logistics base in the region.

Gabkwet added that Tumbun Fulani and Tumbun Shitu were struck between September 27 and September 30 after confirmation of the terrorists’ activities which constituted a threat to military formations and law-abiding Nigerians residing within the locations.

At Tumbun Fulani, the NAF official said terrorists were observed loading jerrycans in two gun trucks concealed under shrubs.

He added that subsequently, NAF aircraft were scrambled to interdict the location, believed to be a major logistics base and that after the strike, Battle Damage Assessment revealed several terrorists were neutralised and the gun trucks destroyed.

Gabkwet further revealed that similar strikes were also undertaken at Tumbun Shitu after structures believed to be terrorists’ hideouts were observed tucked under thick foliage.

NAF spokesman said that three gun trucks with terrorists were sighted moving into the location, adding that the need to strike the location thus became imperative.

He said the aftermath of the air strike revealed that several terrorists were neutralised and the trucks destroyed.

“The determination of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to significantly limit the activities of terrorists in the Northeast and indeed other parts of Nigeria remains on course.

“Operational gains by the AFN are indicative of improved synergy and cooperation by all security agencies as well as the unwavering support of all Nigerians,” he said.

The activities of terrorists in Nigeria is poses a threat to both the government and the people, military and civilians. Over the years, efforts to completely eradicate these terrorists have proven quite u attainable as every successful operation tends to lead the security operatives to newere dens to destroy.

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