HOW OUR FATHER, REV. LAWAN ANDIMI WAS CAPTURED, KILLED BY BOKO HARAM…

When the news broke on January 2, 2020, that Rev. Lawan Andimi, the Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria in Michika, Adamawa State, has been abducted by the Islamic terrorists, wearing military fatigue, there was hope that he would be released if the government help meets the ransom the terrorists were asking for. But gradually, hope dimmed when the state government said they would not meet the demand. A few days later, a video showing the reverend hit the airwaves, showing him appealing to the government to assist in getting him released but that if the help would not come, he would not deny Christ, even if he would be killed. And so, he was beheaded by the enemies of Christ. Fourteen months later, his widow, speaking to E-life in Yola through one of her daughters said they were happy their dad did not deny Christ, even at the point of death. Excerpts from the interview with Bola Adewara.

How was he captured?
He had gone to join some couples in holy matrimony on the evening of January 2, when the Michika Local Government was attacked by the Boko Haram, all of them wearing military fatigue. He had returned home and had his bath… and we were together at home until we began to hear gunshots.

We told him that we should leave the town but he assured us that everything would be fine. We were scared. Meanwhile, there was another reverend living nearby, so we took the younger ones to his place.

* Rev. Lawan Andimi

Did they attack your house?
They did not, at first. But we were begging him to drive us out of the town because he was the only one who could drive, but he refused, saying that leaving did not feel like the right thing to do.

When the gunshots increased, he told me, my mother and brother, to go find somewhere to hide. We begged him to come with us, but he refused and insisted we go hide with other people. So, we left him at home.

On our way, we encountered some soldiers who told us to go back because the situation was calm and purportedly under control. We did not.

The Church security also came to my dad and convinced him to leave the house because these people were trying to take over the town and, when they do, would begin to search house by house to find those who stayed behind and kill them.

The security man narrated that when they were running, they saw a Toyota Hi-Lux coming towards them. So, he entered inside a gutter and my dad was trying to cross the road to find a hiding spot in the bushes when they told him to stop.

At first, he thought they were vigilantes, so he stopped. They then pushed him inside their vehicle, according to what the security told us. We had no idea this was happening. We slept outside that day because the town was in a state of confusion and destruction.

We kept on trying to reach him by calling his number, but he was unreachable. In the morning, we went back home but he was not there. We heard nothing until we saw the viral video three days later.

He had opportunities to escape but he didn’t?
Yes, because this was the first time such an occurrence was happening in the town. My father was the kind of person who loved to understand situations before heading into them, especially because of security risks at the time, such as stray bullets, so as to avoid casualties.

When he was captured, was there any communication between him and the family?
No, there was no opportunity to reach him. It was after the third day we realised that he had been taken by Boko Haram.

The Boko Haram captors told him to convert to Islam. If you had an opportunity to talk to him then, would you have told him to convert, to be safe?

* Widow, Mary Andimi

No, because it is not just about being on earth; it’s about where we end up after living — heaven or hell? And what we would tell the Lord as Christians.

The race we are running is not an easy one but, still, the Bible encourages us to be strong and firm in the Lord. He used to tell us every day during devotion that we should remain with the Lord, no matter the circumstances.

Because if we face these struggles on earth, we’ll go to heaven where there is none. We were happy that he did not deny Christ and did not convert, despite that it would cost him his life.

How many siblings do you have?
My dad had nine children, I’m the sixth.

What were your reactions to his killing?
It was very hard! We were shocked by the news, but we had to accept it in good faith because we know he is resting with the Lord. No matter the volume of tears or how we struggle, it would not bring him back. We have faith in God and we are comforted with that.

In what town did his killing take place?
Michika, in Michika local government.

Do you still live in the local government?
No, we had to leave because it was our father’s pastoral mission that made us residents there. We are not from the town. We are back to Yola now.

What is the security situation in Yola now?
The situation here is not bad because the security here is much better than in the villages around.

How have the constant Boko Haram attacks impacted Christianity in that area? Has it affected evangelism? Do people still go to Church?
Yes, but not like before when things used to be peaceful. People would attend frequently and even go for evangelism in those remote areas. But it is now difficult because no one can predict when they will attack or not. Some people in these remotes areas cannot even sleep in their homes, once it is dark. They are scared of being attacked and sleep outside.

What do you want the Christians in the South to know about what is happening in the North-East?
I want to create awareness about what’s happening. We need fellow Christians to keep praying for us because we cannot do it on our own.

The president, governor or soldiers cannot even protect us anymore because, when the terrorists come, they overpower the security forces; take the town and kill the Christians. Most of those living in the town support the insurgents, as they finger out and kill the Christians.

So, we know that the insurgents are being aided by people in the town too. So, we need your constant prayers and intercessions because experiencing these things is not easy.

If you had a chance to speak with President Mohammadu Buhari, what would you tell him?
I would tell him that the security facilities are not adequate and that the operatives are reluctant to function as they should.

Some years back there used to be state border checks on those who are leaving or entering the state, but now they have been removed. You can come into the town easily without being checked. The security is very poor now.

I plead on behalf of my people for him to provide more security for us in Adamawa.

Since your father’s passing, what has the Church done for you?
The church was able to retire him from service. We are hoping to get a place of our own because our rent will expire very soon. We’ll find a more secure place to move to in Yola.

What are the church leaders saying about your situation?
The church leaders are not saying anything because they believe that when you are retired from service; that is all, including the offerings and contributions from some of the pastors. They are not there to check up on how we are faring or where we are staying.

How is the family coping with school fees for your siblings?
Our father used to rear cattle, so we were able to sell some of them to pay our school fees before the COVID-19 pandemic.

How have you been coping since the pandemic?
We thank God schools are still closed, so we are still at home. We are hoping for it to resume soon to continue with our studies.

How many of you are in higher institutions and how many have graduated?
Four of us are in university and one has graduated. She just finished her Youth Service in May and still struggling to get a job.

What does your mom do for a living?
My mom is not working; she used to be a housewife.

How is she coping with the death of her husband?
It has taken a turn in her life. She is still struggling even at the moment, trying to take care of us.

It is affecting her, but we always try to comfort, console and be strong for her, because she is the only pillar we have left. Once we see her, we have a little peace that she is here for us.

How old is the youngest child?
The youngest is nine years old.