The Bishop of the Lagos Central Diocese
of the African Church, Rt. Rev. Gabriel Adebanjo, along with his wife,
Dorcas, are still being held by kidnappers in Delta State, five days
after they were abducted during a visit to Warri.
of the African Church, Rt. Rev. Gabriel Adebanjo, along with his wife,
Dorcas, are still being held by kidnappers in Delta State, five days
after they were abducted during a visit to Warri.
According to Punch newspaper, the
kidnappers, who initially made contact with the church to demand the sum
of N100m have so far reduced their demand to N50m as the church
continues to press for further reduction in the ransom. On Thursday, our
correspondent learnt that the ransom had been further reduced to N20m.
Church officials said
that the bishop and his wife had gone to Delta State on Saturday,
December 5, to attend an adult harvest programme, which was supposed to
hold the following day, but they never made it to their destination.
that the bishop and his wife had gone to Delta State on Saturday,
December 5, to attend an adult harvest programme, which was supposed to
hold the following day, but they never made it to their destination.
The bishop’s driver was said to have been shot in the process, sustaining serious gunshot injuries to his hand and leg.
The church’s spokesperson, Chief Femi
Adetona, said that the driver had been stabilised and
that the bullets had been removed.
Adetona, said that the driver had been stabilised and
that the bullets had been removed.
Asked whether the church has had the
opportunity to speak with the bishop as proof that he is alive, Adetona
said, “We are still negotiating. They did not give us opportunity to
speak with the bishop. We have mandated our members at Warri to continue
the negotiation with them since they would understand their language
better. But they give us regular updates as things unfold.”
opportunity to speak with the bishop as proof that he is alive, Adetona
said, “We are still negotiating. They did not give us opportunity to
speak with the bishop. We have mandated our members at Warri to continue
the negotiation with them since they would understand their language
better. But they give us regular updates as things unfold.”
Saturday PUNCH learnt that on
Saturday when the bishop took off from Lagos, he would have gone by
flight but had to go to Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, to pick his wife where
she works and they decided to go by road.
Saturday when the bishop took off from Lagos, he would have gone by
flight but had to go to Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, to pick his wife where
she works and they decided to go by road.
Adetona said that information they
gathered from the driver was that when they got to Effurum Junction, a
fire outbreak at a pipeline that had just been vandalised necessitated
the diversion of traffic.
gathered from the driver was that when they got to Effurum Junction, a
fire outbreak at a pipeline that had just been vandalised necessitated
the diversion of traffic.
“They had to take another route. On
their way, they stopped over at a party organised by a member of the
House of Representatives. They had just left the gathering when they
were kidnapped and the driver was shot in the hand and leg,” he said.
their way, they stopped over at a party organised by a member of the
House of Representatives. They had just left the gathering when they
were kidnapped and the driver was shot in the hand and leg,” he said.
The kidnappers were said to have
cornered the couple’s car along Adagbarasa Road as they were approaching
Eku Osubi Road. While shooting sporadically in the air, they took
control of the bishop’s official car, a Toyota Avensis, and sped off
with the couple in it.
cornered the couple’s car along Adagbarasa Road as they were approaching
Eku Osubi Road. While shooting sporadically in the air, they took
control of the bishop’s official car, a Toyota Avensis, and sped off
with the couple in it.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the vehicle was later abandoned many kilometres away after the kidnappers transferred them into another vehicle.
Church officials say they believe the
bishop was a target of opportunity for the kidnappers, who might have
had an informant at the gathering to tell them that someone important
was in attendance.
bishop was a target of opportunity for the kidnappers, who might have
had an informant at the gathering to tell them that someone important
was in attendance.
Bishop Adebanjo, a native of
Ijebu-Mushin, Ogun State, was said to have been transferred to the Lagos
Central Diocese about three months ago from the Ikot Ekpene diocese
which he was previously heading.
Ijebu-Mushin, Ogun State, was said to have been transferred to the Lagos
Central Diocese about three months ago from the Ikot Ekpene diocese
which he was previously heading.
The police spokesperson in the state,
Mrs. Celestina Kalu, said the police are collaborating with local
vigilantes to mount a search in the area where the bishop and his wife
were taken.
Mrs. Celestina Kalu, said the police are collaborating with local
vigilantes to mount a search in the area where the bishop and his wife
were taken.
She said as soon as there was any development on the case, the police would take appropriate steps.