Popular pastor laments kidnap, killing of brother after ransom payment

Apostle Arome Osayi has opened up about a painful family tragedy, sharing how his brother was kidnapped and later killed even after the family paid a huge ransom.

He said the experience was one of the hardest moments of his life, yet he chose to hold on to his faith through the shock and grief.

Speaking during a recent sermon, Osayi, the president of Remnant Christian Network (RCN), Lagos, described how armed men took his brother away and demanded millions. After the ransom was delivered, the family hoped he would be released. Instead, they received a call asking them to come and pick up his body from the forest where he died in captivity.

He told the congregation that nothing prepares a person for such heartbreak. He said, “My brother got kidnapped, he died in captivity after we had paid heavy ransom in millions… collected the money and they now called us to come and collect the corpse.

“I hope you know nothing hurts like that and then you see your own brother’s body dead in the forest. I hope you know nothing hurts like that.”

Apostle Arome said the pain was real, but he fought to keep his emotions under control because of what he believes about scripture. “Ask my wife, I never shed a tear, not because I wasn’t emotionally attached to him, but because I know the scriptures.

“If you know the scriptures, you will never allow yourself slip into excessive grieve or excessive excitement. You will stay in between.”

He explained that he made a deliberate choice not to let sorrow take over his heart. “So yes, I didn’t shed a tear because I didn’t want to give Satan an opportunity to preach to me. And we are still here, we have not broken down. Your life flows in the direction of your most predominant thoughts.”