Methodist Cleric, 2 Others Regain Freedom In Osun
Five days after a cleric of the Methodist Church, Very Rev Kayode Akande, and two other church members, were kidnapped by suspected herdsmen in Osun, they have regained their freedom.
Rev. Akande, Mr. Bankole, an engineer and Mr. Omodunbi were abducted Sunday night at a town called Telemu, along Iwo-Osogbo road, in Osun State.
The trio according to the Methodist Bishop of Osogbo diocese, Rt. Revd. Amos Ogunrinde were released on Thursday by the suspected herdsmen.
Bishop Ogunrinde said the abductees suffered serious torture in the hands of their abductors before they eventually regained their freedom.
The cleric attributed the release of the men to fervent prayers from members of the church, their families and many others who shared in their grief.
Though Bishop Ogunrinde remained silent on whether ransom was paid to secure the release of his members, a member of the family of one of the victim said N20M was demanded as ransom by the kidnappers.
But the Bishop said in a telephone conversation with our reporter that he could only confirm the release of the victims adding that he was not in position to say whether ransom was paid or not.
“All I can tell you is that our people 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 lives.
It was however gathered from reliable source within the church hierarchy that ransom was paid to secure the release of the people from the den of their abductors.
