A Senior Pastor with the Christ Gospel Apostolic Church, Osun State, Mr Femi Akinniyi, who was abducted by suspected Fulani herdsmen four days ago, has been released after payment of N650,000 ransom, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV gathered that the police were yet to locate the herdsmen and the pastor, when he was released yesterday, Thursday.
Igbere TV had reported that Akinniyi was in his Toyota Corolla car, driving in the afternoon, when he was waylaid by fierce-looking gunmen on Ife-Ikire-Ibadan Expressway.
The kidnappers shattered the windscreen of Akinniyi’s car with their guns and then dragged him out.
They removed his car keys, collected his phones and marched him into their den.
The police said it also discovered that a gang of armed robbers, for close to 30 minutes, robbed motorists at the same spot where the pastor was abducted.
When the police got to the scene, they noticed that Akinniyi’s car was riddled with bullets.
Narrating his ordeal, Akinniyi told friends that he saw hell in the kidnappers den.
The pastor’s captors, Igbere TV learnt, had initially demanded millions of naira, but later collected N650,000 when they realised he couldn’t cough out the initial amount.
The kidnappers contacted his family members and arrangement on how to get the money across to them was reached.
A family source told Igbere TV pastor Akinniyi has been admitted into a private hospital for proper medical treatment.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and some other notable pastors, including Akinniyi’s associates, were said to have played key roles in securing his release.
One of those who went to secure his freedom and who preferred anonymity, said: “Pastor Akinniyi told me that his abductors comprised of nine herdsmen and a Yoruba person, who understood their language. The Yoruba guy stood in their midst and was their mouthpiece for negotiation of ransom.”
Venerable Babalola, another pastor, who played a major role in securing Akinniyi’s release, appreciated God for the cleric’s safety.
Efforts to speak with the Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Folashade Odoro, on the matter, proved abortive. But a top ranking officer, however, confirmed the report, saying, “the case was initially reported to the police.”
