The pastor in charge of Christ Gospel Apostolic Church, Oke-yidi road, Modakeke in Osun state, Feni Akinniyi, who was abducted four days ago by some suspected Fulani gunmen, has regained his freedom.
Akinniyi was kidnapped while plying the Ife- Gbongan- Ibadan route in his Toyota Corolla car, with registration number Osun 38FFE.
The pastor, The Point learnt, was waylaid by some fierce-looking gunmen at Wasimi via Gbongan along Ife- Ikire- Ibadan Expressway in the afternoon.
Before being kidnapped, the kidnappers shattered the glass of his vehicle with guns, forcefully dragged him out, removed his car key, collected his phone and took him to their den.
Having been driven into the bush, where he was further tortured, his captors first demanded for millions of naira, but when they realised that he couldn’t raise such a large sum, they later agreed to collect N650,000.00.
Thereafter, his abductors reportedly got across to his kindred through the pastor’s telephone set and arranged how the money would get to them.
However, all effort to speak with the man of God after his release proved abortive as he was said to have been admitted in a private hospital for proper medical treatment.
It was gathered that the Christian Association of Nigeria and some other notable clergy including the abducted pastor’s close associates played a key role in securing his freedom.
One of the persons who went to secure his release and who preferred anonymity said Pastor Akinniyi told him that his abductors comprised of nine Fulani herdsmen and a Yoruba person who understood their language and stood in as their mouthpiece for negotiation of ransom to be paid.
Also speaking with our reporter in Modakeke, another man of God, Venerable Babalola, who played a major role in securing his freedom, said when the abductors first called them, they reported the case to the police and that he wrote a statement to that effect for the police to act upon.
He however appreciated God that Pastor Akinniyi had been secured after the ransom had been paid.
A top police officer who preferred anonymity confirmed that the case was reported to the police.
