Police identify Living Faith Church bomb suspect

The Kaduna State Police Command has identified the suspect caught with suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at a branch of Living Faith Church located at Sabon Tasha area of Chikun local government area of the state.

The suspect was identified as Nathaniel Samuel, a middle-aged man, whom the police said has been taken to the Command’s Criminal Investigation Department for further interrogation.

Mayhem was averted after a member of the church observed the suspect planting the device and alerted the in-house security team, during the church’s first service.

He was then approached by the security team who immediately raised alarm and the suspect was carefully apprehended before attempting to detonate the IED.

It was gathered from a source at the church that this was not the first time the suspect was seen at the church, with the source saying that just last week the suspect was at the church, but was sent away.

A source at the church, Ekpenyong Edet, who said he is the Chief Security officer of the parish, confirmed this when newsmen visited the scene.

He informed that the suspect was monitored on CCTV carrying a bag into the church auditorium.

“He successfully gained access and was seated before he was suspected and the bag searched, only to find the explosive device,” Edet said.

Edet, who said he was not in a position to hand out details to the press, appealed for patience that the presiding pastor would address the press when the service was over.

He, however, said the suspect had been handed over to the police and moved to the Sabon Tasha Division of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, disclosed to that Samuel would be investigated on what was his motive for entering the church with the bag containing explosive devices.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Government was yet to respond to the attack at the time of filing this report.