Panic as Gunmen Abduct Pastor in Osun

Panic as Gunmen Abduct Pastor in Osun

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Fear enveloped residents of Osun State, particularly motorists along Ife- Gbongan– Ibadan route, following the kidnap of a Modakeke-based pastor, Femi Akinniyi, four days ago, by nine deadly Fulani gunmen.

THISDAY, however, gathered that when the ugly incident occurred, 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, was released yesterday after paying a ransom of N650,000.

The Pastor in charge of Christ Gospel Apostolic Church, Oke-yidi Road, Modakeke, was inside his Toyota Corolla car, with registration number: OSUN 38FFE, before his abduction .

He was reportedly driving alone in the afternoon of the day before being waylaid by the fierce-looking gunmen at Wasimi, via Gbongan, along Ife- Ikire- Ibadan Expressway.

Before being kidnapped, the kidnappers reportedly shattered the glass of his vehicle with guns, forcefully dragged him out, removed his car key, collected his set phone and took him to their den.

Equally, an armed robbery gang reportedly robbed some motorists for about 30 minutes, very close to where the pastor’s car was parked along the road by the kidnappers before the intervention of the policemen, who rescued the motorists from the hand of the robbers.

At the spot where the vehicle was parked, the policemen on ground saw the side glass of the vehicle riddled with gun bullets, and towed it away to their divisional station in Gbongan.

However, the pastor who was driven away to a forest was tortured and beaten mercilessly by his captors who first demanded for millions of naira from him before later agreeing to collect N650, 000 when they discovered he could not raise such a large of amounts.

Also, his abductors reportedly got across to his kindred through the pastor’s telephone set and arranged how the money would get to
them.

All effort made by this reporter to speak with the man of God, after his release from a hospital at Modakeke, proved abortive.

It was gathered that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and some other notable clergy, including the abducted’s close associates played a key role in securing his freedom.

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