Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers have brutally murdered Reverend Buba Galadima, the pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Lubo community, Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State.
The chilling attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday, when the assailants stormed the pastor’s residence, unleashing terror on the quiet community. Sources say Reverend Galadima was shot in the upper back while attempting to flee for his life.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Gombe State Police Command, Buhari Abdullahi, stated that the case was being treated as a robbery-turned-murder.
> “The issue is a robbery because they entered the house at night. Maybe they attempted to rob him, but unfortunately, from the way he was shot at the back, it seems he was trying to escape,” Abdullahi said.
Following the tragedy, Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bello Yahaya, personally visited the hospital where the slain pastor’s body was taken. Yahaya, who stayed at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Gombe until 5 a.m., assured the public that a special tactical team has been deployed to track down the killers.
“We have launched a special operation, and we are confident that the perpetrators will be arrested,” Abdullahi added.
Despite a police-imposed nighttime movement restriction, the gunmen struck at around 1 a.m., firing multiple gunshots into the air to announce their presence, according to a resident who spoke anonymously.
“They first went to the ECWA church before moving to a nearby house where they stole N300,000. After ransacking the area, they specifically asked for the pastor’s residence, which was just a fence away,” the witness revealed.
Upon reaching Reverend Galadima’s house, the attackers mercilessly shot him, leaving the community in shock and mourning.
The brutal killing has sent shockwaves across Lubo and beyond, with residents now living in fear. Many are questioning the security measures in place, given that the attack happened despite a curfew in the state capital.
While police insist the crime was a robbery and not linked to banditry, the attack underscores the growing insecurity in parts of the North.
As investigations intensify, grieving members of the ECWA Church and Lubo community demand swift justice for their slain pastor, a man known for his dedication to faith and community service.
With the police vowing to hunt down the killers, the people of Gombe State now wait anxiously—will justice truly be served?
PIONEER NEWS 