Kidnappers Collect Ransom and Release Lagos Bishop But Not His Wife!

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The Bishop of the Lagos Central Diocese of the African Church, Rt. Rev. Gabriel Adebanjo, who was kidnapped in Delta State (read here), has allegedly been released by his abductors after an undisclosed sum of money was paid as ransom. However, Daily Post reports that his wife, who was reportedly abducted with him, was however detained after her husband gained freedom from the said kidnappers.

It would be recalled that the bishop and his wife, Dorcas, who teaches in a school in Ogun State, had travelled to Delta State on 5 December to attend an adult harvest programme, which was supposed to hold the following day, but never made it to their destination.

It was reported that they had got to Effurun Junction, where they encountered a fire disaster which necessitated the diversion of traffic. This led them to take another route where they were abducted. The kidnappers had initially demanded N100m, but reduced their demand to N50m then N20m and later N10m.

Reportedly, the church said it could not afford the ransom demanded and had allegedly sourced for N2m and had also made efforts to see the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to assist in the release of the victims.

On Tuesday, a source in the church leadership reportedly disclosed that the bishop had been released but that there was growing concern over the safety of his wife. The source allegedly said that,

“The bishop was released around 10pm on Monday. The church paid some money to the kidnappers. The two of them were taken together and kept in the same custody. But the kidnappers chose to release only the bishop.

There is now a serious tension throughout the African Church over the safety of his wife, thereby necessitating more prayers for her safe return from the captors’ den.”

Chief Femi Adetona, the spokesperson for the diocese, confirmed the release of the reverend gentleman saying,

“Yes, the bishop has been released, but his wife is still with the kidnappers.”

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Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in Delta State, Mrs. Celestina Kalu, said the police were not aware of the release and also claimed that the Adebanjo family had not been cooperating with the police by providing information that could help with the arrest of suspects. Kalu said,

“The truth is that the family has not been cooperating with the police. They are the ones who have been communicating with the kidnappers.

If they had given us their phone numbers, we would have been able to track them down.

I am just hearing from you now that he had been released and ransom was paid.

The police were not involved and we are not aware of the release.”