Ransom On Kidnapped Bishop and Wife Reduced

Kidnappers of the Bishop of the Lagos Central Diocese of the African Church, Rt. Rev. Gabriel Adebanjo, and his wife, Dorcas, (read here) have reduced the ransom to N10m from N20m, the Sunday Punch reports.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the church had already organised prayers for the prompt release of the duo, who were kidnapped in Warri, Delta State.

It was reported that the bishop and his wife had gone to Delta on December 5 to attend an adult harvest programme, which was supposed to hold the following day, but they never made it to their destination.

They had got to Effurum Junction, where they met a fire outbreak at a pipeline that had been vandalised, which necessitated the diversion of traffic.

They reportedly took another route and on their way, they stopped over at a party organised by a member of the House of Representatives.

They had just left the gathering when they were kidnapped and their driver shot in the hand and leg.

The kidnappers were said to have put the couple in a vehicle they brought and drove off.

The kidnappers, who initially made contact with the church to demand the sum of N100m, had reduced their demand to N50m and later to N20m.

The church’s spokesperson, Mr. Femi Adetona, told our correspondent on Saturday that the driver had been transferred to National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, where he was recuperating.

He added that the kidnappers had agreed to collect N10m, while wondering where the church would get the money from.

He said, “We spoke with the kidnappers this morning and they have agreed to collect N10m. But the money is still too much. Where do we get the money from?

“Fervent prayers are ongoing in all the dioceses of The African Church nationwide for a quick release, especially at the monthly prayer meeting of the church which held at the church’s Solution Camp in Abeokuta over the weekend.”

The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Celestina Kalu, when contacted, said she had yet to be briefed on any development on the case.

She said, “I have not got any update yet on the kidnap. I will get back to you as soon as I have anything on it.”