Two sons of the pastor-in-charge of Independent Baptist Church in Calabar, Nicholas Wayih – Archibong (31) and Ekpenyong (29) – were murdered by yet-to-be-identified gunmen on March 29, 2016, at his official residence within the church premises located at the Efio-Ette junction of the Cross River State capital. Still in shock following his sons’ gruesome murder, Wayih says the numerous condolences he has received from well-wishers have continued to weigh him down. No fewer than seven gunmen were said to have entered the expansive compound through a back fence and tied up the security guards before gaining access into the cleric’s building.
The two sons had altercations with the gunmen after they had gained entry before they were subdued and shot to death. Speaking at a capacity-filled church auditorium during a funeral service on Friday, Wayih said, “I was in trauma for two weeks. There are so many speculations. People even advised me to enlist for police protection, but I will not yield to speculations. I was in trauma for two weeks and recovered after God’s intervention. If I allow the condolences and tributes about my sons to be read, I might break down again. My heart is too heavy to read condolences. My heart and that of my family are full of fears until we know the truth of this issue. I pray for the Nigeria Police to be able to do their work and bring out the truth in this matter.”
