Two sons of the presiding pastor of the Independent Baptist Church in Calabar, Rev. Nicholas Wayih, have been killed by gunmen.

The two sons identified as Archibong and Ekpenyong were said to have had a prolonged struggle with the armed men before they were gunned down.

The gun men, seven in number, were said to have gained access to the expansive compound located at the Efio-Ette junction axis of the Cross River State capital, through the back fence that shares boundary with a welder’s shop.

Southern City News gathered different versions to the gory incident that has left the Wayihs in serious mourning mood since the early hours of Tuesday when the incident occurred.

A close source to the Wayihs disclosed that the clergy’s two sons were said to have engaged the armed men in physical battle after they had gained entry into the residence between 1am and 3am of Tuesday, March 29.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was not clear if it was an outright case of assassination because the intruders started beating the clergy’s three boys that had come out from their rooms on noticing that they had gained entry.

“When the beating became severe, two of the sons, who were hefty, had to engage the intruders in physical battle because they did not see guns with them initially and when they were almost overpowering intruders, one of the robbers gave an order that they should be killed.

“The third son, who experienced the incident, had to rush to the mother’s room to tell her not to come out but the mother came out and asked the robbers what they wanted. She offered her ATM card and they took it after they had gun down the brothers. The robbers even withdrew money from the ATM in the morning of the incident,” he said.

But another source, Michael Ebube, said one of the robbers sustained deep cut while trying to gain access to the pastor’s house.

Ebube said, “The robbers gained access to the building and in the course of attempting to gain entrance into the pastor’s residence, one of the sons used machete to cut one of the armed robbers. It was learnt that the cut was severe. The robbers still continued and eventually they gained entrance into the building.

“In retaliation, they shot the two sons when they got in but left almost immediately in annoyance without actually stealing anything because the injured robber was bleeding profusely. The robbers scaled the fence the way they came in and it appeared they stayed in the next compound for sometime before they left because was so much blood stains on the floor of the compound they came in through.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Eluu, who confirmed the incident, said the police was currently investigating the matter.