21st January, 2023
By Olajide Idowu
A total of N10 million was paid to yet to be identified gunmen who abducted four members of Baptist Church between January 11 and 16 in Osun State, it has been revealed.
The four abducted church members were released on Friday, bringing to an end the sad episode which commenced on 11 January when the gunmen first kidnapped two church members.
The Church had sent two of their members to deliver N6 million ransom to kidnappers to free the two of their members.
This was on 16, January, four days after they were abducted.
But the daredevil kidnappers had also abducted the two ransom bearers at their hideout in Ileogbo town as they demanded for more money.
Consequently, the Church raised additional N4 million to get all its abducted members out of the kidnappers’ den, bringing the total ransom payment to N10 million.
This was revealed in a letter by the Baptist Conference in Osun to Gov. Ademola Adeleke on Friday.
While appreciating the Governor for the role he played in the release of the victims, the Church nevertheless noted that the kidnap victims were released after payment of the N10 million ransom to the kidnappers.
The letter was signed by President and Chairman of Osun Baptist Conference, Rev. Paul Kolawole and Rev. Sunday Ogundijo.
The letter reads, “On behalf of the Osun Baptist Conference, the Nigerian Baptist Convention and the entire Iwo Baptist Community, we write to sincerely appreciate your Excellency on the vital roles you played towards the rescue of four of our people who were kidnapped between Jan. 11 and 16, 2023.
“We will like to inform your Excellency that two people were released on Tuesday while the last two were just released today, Friday Jan. 20, even though with cumulative payment of ransom of N10 million,” they said in the letter.
News Agency reports that Osun Police Spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the release of the kidnapped victims to newsmen but did not mention if any ransom was paid.