Suspected Gunmen Kidnap Osun Pastor Along Ife/Ibadan Expressway
The suspected Fulani gunmen have reportedly kidnapped a Modakeke based pastor, Femi Akinniyi along Ife-Gbongan-Ibadan way.
The perpetual cases of kidnapping has thrown residents of Osun state especially motorists playing Gbongan-Ibadan and Ife-Ilesa-Akure ways into serious panic.
Reports say the pastor in charge of Apostolic Church, Oke-yidi road, Modakeke was said to be kidnapped by the suspected Fulani gunmen about five days ago.
The victim said to be in his wine colour Toyota Corolla car with registration number OSUN 38FFE before his abduction said to be driving alone in the afternoon of the day before being waylaid by the fierce-looking gunmen at Wasimi via Gbongan along Ife- Ikire- Ibadan express way.
When the information flew like a kite on the day of the incident, the policemen in the state were yet to get clues on the matter until the clergyman who said he had been in the custody of his abductors released yesterday after paid a ransom of N650,000.
Before being kidnapped, the kidnappers reportedly shattered the glass of his vehicle with guns, forcefully dragged him out of it, remove his car key,collected his set phone and took him to their den.
Coincidedentally, a gang of armed robbery reportedly robbed some motorists for about thirty minutes very close to where the pastor car was parked along the road by the kidnappers before the intervention of the policemen who rescued the motorists from the hands of the robbers.
At the spot however where the parked vehicle was, the policemen who reported saw how a side glass of the vehicle was riddled with gun bullets, ,reportedly towed it away to their divisional station in Gbongan.
However, the pastor who was driven away to a forest said to be tortured and beaten mercilessly by his captors who first demanded for millions of naira from him before later agreed to collect N650,000.00 when they discovered he could not raise such a large of amounts.
Thereafter, his abductors reportedly got across to his kindred through the pastor telephone set and arranged how the money would get to them.
All effort to speak with the man of God proved abortive when our reporter got to Modakeke after his release as he had been admitted in a private hospital for proper medical treatment.
In the town, it was gathered that,the Christian Association of Nigeria and some other notable clergy including the abducted close assocites played a key role in securing his freedom.
Speaking with CityMirrorNews, one of the persons who went to secure his freedom and who preferred anonymity quoted pastor Akinniyi to have told him that, “his abductors comprised of nine Fulani herdsmen and a Yoruba person who understood their language and stood in as their mouthpiece for negotiation of ransom to be paid.
Also speaking with our reporter in Modakeke, an outstanding man of God in the state, venerable, Babalola who played a major role in securing his freedom, said when the abductors first call them, they reported the case to the police and that he wrote a statement to that effect for the police to act upon.
He however appreciated God that the life of the kidnappers victim had been secured after the ransom had been paid.
Source: CityMirrorNews
