Community Mourn British Missionary
Hundreds of residents in a rural community in Delta State of Nigeria have paid homage to the British missionary that died after being abducted earlier this month.
Ian Squire, 57, set up an eye clinic in Enokhara, near isolated Niger Delta creeks.
Villagers dressed in black and paraded throughout the area to honour the optician from Surrey.
There were also demonstrators who were afraid of the clinic being closed because of his death.
According to the Telegraph, a demonstrator held up a sign that read: “Ian, you live, you never die, because we cherish you in our hearts.”
Squire, along with David and Shirley Donovan and Alanna Carson, were taken captive from the clinic by a gang on 13th October.
UK authorities said three of the missionaries were released, but Squire was killed. However, it’s been reported by Nigeria media that Squire died due to complications with asthma after being abducted.
According to the Nigerian Tribune, a resident said that the missionaries were offered security guards in the past but turned them down.
Comrade Michael Ogobiri said: “We had set up a local vigilante for them before, but they rejected it because they said they believed in God and they’re missionaries.
“We never believed such could happen. They’ve been here since 2007.
Two suspects in the abduction have been arrested while a third was killed in a shoot-out.
State police spokesman Andrew Aniamaka said last Thursday that the suspects were arrested in Nigeria’s oil hub of Warri the day before.
