The police in Ogun State have arrested two suspects over the kidnap of a pastor, Mapai Samuel, at ZOE Family International Church, Odo Eran, Abeokuta.
The suspects, Ibikunle Opeyemi- a female- and Kadiri Jamiu were arrested at the early hours of Thursday, hours after the pastor was said to have been kidnapped from the church premises by two men clad in military by camouflage and accompanied by a woman.
Police spokesman, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said while delivering a sermon around 8am o Wednesday, Samuel’s abductors invaded the church and forcefully dragged the pastor out.
He said the took him away to an unknown destination and shortly afterwards called to demand ransom
Oyeyemi said a distress call was made to the Aregbe Police Division in Abeokuta and the DPO, CSP Ikechukwu Gabriel, quickly led a team on technical and intelligence based investigation.
He said they discovered that the suspects were hiding somewhere around Adigbe area of Abeokuta.
“The DPO and his men in conjunction with men of Adigbe division stormed the hideout where the Pastor was rescued and two of the suspects were arrested while the two men in military camouflage escaped.
“On interrogation, the woman amongst them claimed to have been in business relationship with the pastor and that the pastor cheated her in the course of the business which made her to contact the three men to kidnap the pastor in order to teach him lesson.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Bankole, who praised his men for their quick response to the distress call, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to anti kidnapping unit of the state criminal investigation department for discreet investigation. He also directed that other members of the gang must be hunted and brought to book,” Oyeyemi said.
