Shock and sorrow have gripped Bunu land following the gruesome abduction and murder of one of its most revered elders, Major (Pastor) Joe Ajayi (Rtd), a retired military officer and Christian cleric, who was reportedly killed despite a ransom payment after being held captive in harsh conditions by unknown assailants.
By Chimezie Godfrey
Shock and sorrow have gripped Bunu land following the gruesome abduction and murder of one of its most revered elders, Major (Pastor) Joe Ajayi (Rtd), a retired military officer and Christian cleric, who was reportedly killed despite a ransom payment after being held captive in harsh conditions by unknown assailants.
In a strongly worded condolence statement issued on Tuesday by the Bunu Leaders Forum, the group decried what it described as “a stain on the conscience of our nation” and demanded urgent and decisive action from the government to end the wave of insecurity ravaging communities in Nigeria.
“It is with a broken heart and a heavy spirit that the Bunu Leaders Forum and the entire Bunu District express deepest condolences to the family, community, colleagues, friends and well-wishers of our revered elder, Major (Pastor) Joe Ajayi (Rtd), whose life was wickedly and unjustly cut short in the most horrific and inhumane manner,” the statement read.
Signed by Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi, Chairman of the Forum, and Dr. Ade Abanida, its Secretary, the statement described Major Ajayi as a gallant war veteran, a servant of God, a mentor, and a voice of peace and integrity in the Bunu District and beyond.
“He was not just a retired officer of the Nigerian Army; he was a gallant war veteran who fought bravely to keep Nigeria united during the civil war,” the statement noted. “After his military service, he answered a higher call—as a pastor, mentor, and comforter of many.”
The Forum condemned the abduction and brutal treatment of the 80-year-old elder, stating that he was denied access to life-sustaining medication and ultimately killed, despite the efforts of his impoverished, agrarian community to raise a ransom of N10 million.
“That such a respected elder… would be abducted from his home, denied his medication, tortured by criminal elements, and ultimately killed… this is not only evil, it is a stain on the conscience of our nation,” the group declared.
Describing the incident as a national shame and a betrayal by a state that failed to protect one of its finest citizens, the Forum expressed outrage at what it sees as a growing trend of lawlessness, where neither age, honour, nor service guarantees protection.
“He lived for service, and he died in painful betrayal by a nation that failed to protect one of her finest sons,” said Prof. Obafemi.
In a call to action, the Forum urged all levels of government—federal, state, and local—to move beyond empty condolences and finally take concrete, sustained steps to dismantle the growing reign of terror consuming rural and urban communities alike.
“We will honour Papa Ajayi not only with tears but with action. With renewed unity. With resolve to defend our people, restore our values, and revive the hope that he lived and died for,” the leaders vowed.
They also prayed for divine comfort for his widow, children, the larger Ajayi-Aliu family, the Odo-Ape/Okemeta community, the Bunu Development Association, and the wider church of Christ to which he devoted his post-military life.
The late Major Joe Ajayi (Rtd), described as a pillar of wisdom and service in Bunu land, was also a member of the Advisory Committee of the Bunu Leaders Forum and a dedicated advocate of community development and spiritual growth.