Kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N100 million for the release of Pastor Samson Ndah Ali, a 30-year-old cleric with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Mararaba Aboro, Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The pastor was abducted from his residence in the early hours of Monday by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers, who invaded his compound around 1 a.m. and whisked him away to an unknown destination.

Confirming the incident, the financial secretary of the church, Mallam Yusuf Ambi, told Daily Trust that he was with the pastor the night before, only to receive a distress call early in the morning.

?I rushed to his compound where he stays alone, only to find the doors wide open. I checked all the rooms, but he was nowhere to be found,? he said.

Ambi added that the abductors later contacted them, demanding N100 million for the pastor?s release.

?We are negotiating with them,? he added.

He further disclosed that Pastor Ali, who hails from Danji community of Ungwan Mailafiya, had only been posted to the church less than two weeks prior to the incident.

A joint team of security operatives comprising the Nigerian Army, the police, and the Department of State Services (DSS) has launched an operation in a bid to rescue the abducted cleric.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Mansir Hassan, promised to respond to the matter, but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report. (Daily Trust)