Missing child Oluwabunmi Ajelero has been found, was lured with Gala by her abductors...

There was anxiety on Sunday at the Surulere Baptist Church, Ojuelegba Road, Lagos State after two unidentified men sneaked into the church premises and abducted a three-year-old girl, Oluwabunmi Ajelero.

It was gathered that the girl was playing with other children on the church premises at about 1pm when the kidnappers came in through the back of the church and tricked her out with Gala, a popular sausage, before whisking her away on a motorcycle.

The girl, was rescued in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday by the police and reunited with her parents.

According to a report by Punch  Oluwabunmi’s parents and other members of the church were inside the church immersed in the service when the incident happened.

The service, it was learnt, was grounded when one of the toddler’s playmates alerted the congregation to the incident.

It was further learnt that the captors had pretended as members of the church and established rapport with children in the church.

Oluwabunmi’s friend cautioned her not to follow the strangers, who reportedly escaped through Nathan Street.

The victim’s father, Oladapo Ajelero, said the captors had contacted him on the phone, telling him to cooperate. He, however, said they had yet to request any ransom.

He said, “It happened around 1pm on Sunday. The children finished their service before us and were playing on the church premises; Oluwabunmi was among them.

“Suddenly, one of her friends rushed in and said two men had lured and taken her away through the back of the church. Some people in the area said they saw her sitting between two men on a motorcycle. I learnt they escaped through Nathan Street.

Oladapo explained further that one of his relatives went to Surulere Police Station to report, but he was told to come back and make a formal statement after 24 hours of the girl’s abduction.“Our hearts are broken, we don’t know what to do anymore. They have called and instructed me to cooperate. I am still expecting their calls, but for now they have not asked for any ransom.”

A member of the church, who declined to mention his name, told our correspondent that they learnt that the girl would be released if the family paid an undisclosed ransom to the kidnappers.

The Lagos Police spokesperson, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, however, said Olawunmi had been rescued by a police team drawn from divisions in the state, adding that he was not aware that the family paid any ransom.

He said, “The child has been found in Abeokuta, Ogun State and reunited with her parents. Investigations are ongoing to track down the kidnappers.”