A missionary pastor, identified as Reverend Nankur Peter Kundul of the Church of Christ in Nations COCIN, has died after being bitten by a snake while serving in Boltim village, Gamakai District, Langtang South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Rev Kundul was posted to the remote community as a missionary pastor, ministering to farmers and their families in an area regarded as the agricultural hub of Langtang South. Residents say he had become a familiar and trusted figure, often moving between scattered farm settlements to preach, pray and offer support.

According to accounts shared by his colleague, Pastor Rinkyer Asaph, Kundul was rushed to the Sabon Gida Clinic after the bite but did not survive. Asaph disclosed that the mission field where Kundul served has recently seen a surge in venomous snakes, with several fatal attacks reported.

He said at least two other Christians in the area had died from snakebites within a week, raising alarm among residents and church workers. Local sources describe a community on edge, with farmers increasingly fearful of going to their fields at dawn and dusk, when snakes are most active.

Gamakai is widely known as a key food-producing belt for Langtang South and surrounding areas of Plateau State. Its farmlands supply grains, tubers and vegetables to markets across the region. Community leaders warn that repeated snakebite incidents could keep farmers away from their fields, threatening both livelihoods and local food security.

Pastor Asaph called the situation an emerging public health emergency and urged health and government authorities at local, state and federal levels to intervene. He appealed for urgent measures including improved access to antivenom, better equipped rural clinics, and a coordinated effort to understand why venomous snake populations appear to be rising in the area.

He stressed that no one should lose their life simply because they live or work on farms in Gamakai, insisting that timely treatment and preventive measures could save lives. Residents and church members are now mourning Rev Kundul while also pressing for swift action to prevent further deaths from snakebites in the community.