Akinola
was on his way from his Youths Empowerment Training Centre along the
Lagos – Abeokuta Expressway when the gunmen overtook and stopped his
Sports Utility Van before taking him and his driver to an unknown place
around 3pm.
The bandits, according to one of the witnesses, shot sporadically into the air to scare passersby away.
He said, “The bishop was unperturbed.
When his driver tried to resist the kidnappers, we saw him instructing
him (driver) to also remain calm.”
No
contact had been established with the cleric, who is also a former
president of the Christian Association of Nigeria.
The state Police public Relations
Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident but said that it would
be too early for anyone to conclude that it was a case of kidnap.
Adejobi, a deputy superintendent of
police, said, “the fact that gunmen went away with the bishop, his
driver and his vehicle does not connote kidnap”.
He however said that all security agencies in the state had been placed on the alert following the incident.
“Our men at the border have been placed
on red alert,” Adejobi added, assuring that the ex-primate and his
driver would be found alive and their vehicle recovered.
The incident drew immediate condemnation from the Christian community which called for Akinola’s immediate release.
The President, Christian Association of
Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, pleaded with the kidnappers to release
Akinola unconditionally.
The Director of Social Communications,
Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, said, “This is a
very sad incident, especially during this season of joy and happiness.
It is so sad because of the calibre of the person involved, a religious
leader, a peaceful and elderly citizen.
“Whoever is involved in this kidnap has
no reason whatsoever for this; there is no justification. We pray that
God touches the hearts of his captors to release Akinola without harm.”
Osu added that the abduction of the former Prelate “ goes to show how life has become so cheap in the country.”
Lamenting the security situation in the
country, he said, “I urge our security agencies to wake up and rescue
Akinola. The kidnappers should also not be treated with kid gloves. The
root cause of all this is poverty.”
Akinola’s abduction is one of the
latest high profile cases in the country. On August 24, 2013, a
Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, was
kidnapped in Edo State. He was released three weeks after his family
had paid a ransom.
On September 6, the Archbishop of Niger
Delta Province of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey,
and his wife, Beatrice, were kidnapped by gunmen on their way to Port
Harcourt, Rivers State.
Less than a month after, Mrs Augusta
Douglas-Ayam, the elder sister of Mr. Oronto Douglas, the Special
Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, was
abducted in Ogbia, Bayelsa State.
On November 18, gunmen kidnapped Chief
Tempurah Nelson, the 78-year-old father of Bayelsa State Commissioner
for Tourism Development, Chief Belief Nelson,also in Bayelsa State
A frontline industrialists in Osun
State, Mrs. Olayinka Obaleye, popularly known as Yinka Oba, was
kidnapped in Ilesa, Osun State on November 20.
Barely 11 days after, Miss Julie
Harry, the daughter of the former Vice-Chairman of the All Nigeria
Peoples Party, the late Marshal Harry, was kidnapped about 100 metres
away from her residence in Eleparanwo, Rivers State and released after
her family had parted with N2m.
However, the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Ikemefuna Okoye, said that Akinola had regained his freedom.
Segun Olatunji, Success Nwogu, Comfort Oseghale and Eniola Akinkuotu
These people no dey rest?
ReplyDeleteDem no dey rest.
ReplyDelete