It has just been learned that the kidnapped Christian worshippers of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) in the Uso town in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State are now free.
The Nation says that the four believers were set free last night in Ilado community after their families paid the kidnappers N9 million.
A family member who wanted to stay anonymous told our reporter in a short conversation last night that they were free.
He added that the shooters let the victims go roughly a week after they took them from the church.
“The Christian worshippers have been let go. We were able to provide the kidnappers N5 million, thus they were set free this evening.
“Actually, they have been reunited with their families, and I found out that some of them are also in the hospital getting treatment because of what they went through with the kidnappers,” he stated.
The kidnappers first contacted the victims’ families and asked for a ransom of N100 million before they would let them go.
When we called, Jimoh Abayomi, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), confirmed that the victims had been freed.
But DSP Abayomi said he would come back to them with further information about their release.
But he hadn’t gotten back to us yet.
Remember that on Wednesday, suspected gunmen broke into a Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) parish in Uso, Owo LGA, and kidnapped Christian believers during a midnight church session.
Reports say that the attackers broke into the place of worship on the bustling Owo/Benin Expressway and forced the worshippers to march into the woods.
But one of the victims got away from the kidnappers soon after the crime, and the police caught an informant.
Their release comes after police said they had caught the culprits and rescued one victim, but the families publicly disagreed, saying that all the victims were still being held at the time.
A man, Jamiu Olawale and his wife, were attacked and kidnapped a few days ago at the entrance to their home in Akure North LGA. causing residents to protest because of the area’s regular kidnappings and murders.
After paying five million Naira as ransom, the couple was let go.
Last week Wednesday, gunmen killed Oba Kehinde Falodun, the Alagamo of Agamo, a traditional ruler in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state. They were trying to kidnap him when they shot him.
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