By Ayo Yusuf
The remaining 17 members of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Igan in Akure, Ondo State, abducted last Friday by gunmen have been freed after their families and the church reportedly paid a huge ransom.
The worshippers were reportedly released yesterday evening at a designated location in the state after a final negotiation of the ransom sum was reached.
TheNewDiplomat gathered that the kidnappers had demanded N50 million ransom for the release of the 17 members after eight of the 25 original victims escaped from the kidnappers’ den last Saturday.
The victims, who are mostly choir members in the church, were abducted on the notorious Elegbeka road in Ifon, Ose Local Government Area of the state while they were on their way to a funeral.
A source in the church disclosed that the remaining victims were brought to the church premises late Thursday night.
“The negotiating team of the church returned with the remaining victims at 11:47 pm to the church premises in Akure after a ransom was paid,” he said.
Police Superintendent Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisaya, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ondo State confirmed the release of the victims.
“They were released late yesterday (Thursday) evening,” Mrs Odunlami-Omisanya said.
When asked if the victims paid any ransom before they were released to their family members, she said, “I can’t confirm if a ransom was paid.”
The Ondo police image maker later revealed that efforts were ongoing to arrest the abductors of the Christian worshippers.
The choristers were going for a burial event when gunmen waylaid them at the Benin-Akure Expressway, around the Ifon area in Ose Local Government Area of the state.
The hoodlums dragged the victims from their bus to an unknown destination in the bush leaving an empty vehicle with the inscription of CAC abandoned by the roadside around Elegbeka.
Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed last Saturday, that eight of the victims had been rescued while efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining 17 victims.
“Good news!, eight victims rescued, effort is on to rescue others unhurt”, she had announced on a WhatsApp platform.
The Owo/Ifon/Benin Expressway has become a dangerous corridor as several cases of kidnappings and armed robbery have been reported in the area in recent times.
It would be recalled that a grade A traditional ruler in the State, the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi was killed around Elegbeka while travelling from Akure to Ifon in November, 2020.
