A Bishop of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Rt. Revd Oluwaseun Aderogba of Jebba Diocese in Kwara State, and his wife, were on Sunday evening kidnapped by unknown gunmen along Ogbomoso-Oyo Expressway.
The police said the couple was kidnapped while fixing their vehicke which developed a mechanical fault on a journey from Jebba, Kwara State to Yewa in Ogun State.
The incident happened around the isolated portion of the Oyo-Ogbomoso Expressway.
The Bishop’s chaplain, who was with the victims, said: “We were traveling from Jebba to Oyo when it was few kilometers to Oyo our vehicle developed a fault. My Lord Bishop called the Lord Bishop of Oyo, Bishop Aladekugbe, for help.
However, before the help surfaced, some armed men surrounded them and ordered them into the bush. I was lucky I was not visible because of my black cassock, I fell flat on my belly to hide myself while they marched my Bishop and wife deep into the forest.
“Bishop Aladekugbe rose to the occasion to alert the leadership of the church, Most Revd Henry Ndukuba and other members of the House of Bishops.
“It took hours to hear from the abductors through the wife of the bishop whom they allowed to speak in few seconds with one of the bishops, asking for N50m ransom.”
In a statement by Oyo State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Osifeso Adewale, he said Rev. Adekunle Adeluwa reported to the Command through an incidented report at Atiba Divisional Police Headquarters, Oyo town at about 8:30pm.
Osifeso said “The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations of the Command is in Charge of the rescue operation that has commenced since 2100HRS of Sunday 12/06/2022.
“All the tactical teams of the Command Anti-Kidnapping squad, Ambush Squad, Puff Adder, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and Conventional Police personnel along with local hunters and vigilantes are all involved in the rescue operations.
He maintained that discreet investigation led by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) was simultaneously been vigorously embarked upon to ensure that the victims are rescued unhurt.”
