Reprieve has come the ways of a pastor of the Methodist Church, Very Rev Kayode Akande, and two other church members, who were kidnapped on Sunday night, at a town called Telemu, along Iwo-Osogbo road, in Osun State.
Akande and two others, Mr. Bankole and Mr. Omodun were said to have been abducted by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Sunday night while returning to Osogbo from a meeting held in Ile-Ogbo, a community near Iwo, in the state.
Confirming the release of the clergyman and his members, the Methodist Bishop of Osogbo Diocese, Rt. Revd. Amos Ogunrinde told journalists on Friday they were released on Thursday by their abductors.
Rev Ogunrinde said the abductees suffered serious torture in the hands of their abductors before they eventually regained their freedom.
He attributed their release to grace of God through the prayers of the church members and many others who shared in their plights.
The cleric however remained silent on whether ransom was paid to secure the release of his members, saying he could neither confirm nor deny it.
He said “I can confirm it to you that the pastor and two other members who were kidnapped have been released on Thursday night, we are happy to receive them alive.
“Although they were seriously beaten, yet we thank God for their life.
“On whether ransom was paid or not, I can’t definitely say anything on it, it is the Treasurer of the church that is in charge of finance, mine is strictly spiritual.
It was however gathered from reliable source within the church hierarchy that ransom was paid in millions to secure the release of those individuals from their abductors.
“The kidnappers first demanded for N20m(Twenty Million Naira) but the leadership of the church, with the help from our headquarters later appealed to them and eventually settled at N5m(Five million naira)”.
Meanwhile, the state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola had in a programme had assured the people of the state that the state government would do everything within its power to rescue them.
Aregbesola assured the public to be patient and hopeful as they would be rescued soon.
He also assured that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would be apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law by the appropriate authorities.
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