The kidnapped Bishop of the Lagos Central Diocese of the African Church, Rt. Rev. Gabriel Adebanjo, has been released by his suspected kidnappers in Delta State after an undisclosed sum of money was paid as ransom.
His wife, who was reportedly abducted with him, was however detained after her husband gained freedom from the said kidnappers.
It would be recalled that the bishop and his wife, Dorcas, a teacher in Ogun State, had traveled to Delta State on December 5 to attend an adult harvest programme, which was supposed to hold the following day, but never made it to their destination.
It was reported that they had got to Effurun Junction, where they encountered a fire disaster which necessitated the diversion of traffic. This led them to take another route where they were kidnapped with their driver shot in the hand and leg.
According to earlier reports, the kidnappers had transferred the couple from their car to another vehicle which they brought for the mission and had initially demanded N100m, but reduced their demand to N50m and later to N20m.
However, when the sum was reduced to N10m, the church said it could not afford it. The church had reportedly raised N2m and had been making efforts to see the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to assist in the release of the victims.
On Tuesday, a source in the church leadership disclosed to The Punch that the bishop had been released but that there was growing concern over the safety of his wife.
According to the source, “The bishop was released around 10pm on Monday. The church paid some money to the kidnappers. The two of them were taken together and kept in the same custody. But the kidnappers chose to release only the bishop.
“There is now a serious tension throughout the African Church over the safety of his wife, thereby necessitating more prayers for her safe return from the captors’ den,” the source said.
Confirming the release, the spokesperson for the diocese, Chief Femi Adetona said, “Yes, the bishop has been released, but his wife is still with the kidnappers.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in Delta State, Mrs. Celestina Kalu, said the police were not aware of the release, adding that the family had not been cooperating with the police by providing information that could help with the arrest of suspects.
Kalu said, “The truth is that the family has not been cooperating with the police. They are the ones who have been communicating with the kidnappers.
“If they had given us their phone numbers, we would have been able to track them down.
“I am just hearing from you now that he had been released and ransom was paid.
“The police were not involved and we are not aware of the release,” the PPRO stated.
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