Gunmen Abduct Islamic Cleric, Brother While Conveying Corpse For Burial In Kogi

Unknown gunmen have kidnapped an Islamic cleric, Alfa Fasasi Ola Mejabi, and his younger brother while conveying the corpse of another cleric for burial, from Lokoja to Aiyegunle Gbede in Ijumu LGA of Kogi State.

The cleric and others were conveying the corpse of the Chief Imam of Ayegunle Gbede, Sheikh Musa Olorunkemi, from Lokoja on Sunday when they ran into the kidnappers.

One of the occupants of the car, who escaped abduction, told LEADERSHIP that the incident occurred just at Oshokoshoko, along the ever-busy Lokoja-Obajana-Kabba Road.

He explained that their car was moving ahead of the vehicle, which was conveying the corpse of late Sheikh Musa, who died on Sunday morning after a brief illness.

A source told LEADERSHIP that the victims’ telephone lines had been switched off since their abduction, but added that the kidnappers made contact with the family on Monday morning demanding for N10million ransom for their release.

The Security Adviser to the Kogi State governor, Commodore Jerry Omadara (rtd), who confirmed the incident, said that the security agents in the state were doing everything possible to rescue the victims from the kidnappers’ den.

“It is true, but the security operatives were on their trail in a bid to rescue them and arrest the kidnappers,” the State security chief stated.