Police reportedly sight kidnapped RCCG pastors in forest

Barely 24 hours after five pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God were kidnapped, police command in Ogun State said it has located the forest, where the kidnappers keep the victims.

The clergymen were on Thursday, August 1, 2019, abducted at the J3, Ogbere in Ijebu-Ode (Ogun State) stretch of the Lagos-Ore expressway while going to the Redemption Camp for a conference.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi said this while speaking with reporters at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abeokuta.

Abimbola identified the victims as Chidioze Eluwa, Chiemela Iroha, Okoro Ohowukwe, Ndubuizi Owuabueze and a woman, Ibeleji Chidinma.

The Deputy Superintendent of Police added that the police are trying to be tactical and professional about storming the forest to rescue the victims in order not to jeopardize their safety.

Narrating how they were kidnapped, Abimbola said the pastors, who boarded a commercial vehicle from the eastern part of the country heading to the Redemption Camp along Lagos-Ibadan expressway were kidnapped and taken into the forest.

He said, “On the 1st of August 2019, at about 3:30 pm, the Ogun state police command received an information that a commercial vehicle with registration number KW 230 XA belonging to Abia line transport company was coming from the Eastern part of the country heading towards Lagos, on getting to J3 area of Ogbere, some hoodlums numbering about 10 suddenly came out of the forest and forcefully stopped the vehicle.

“Five amongst the passengers namely Chidioze Eluwa, Chiemela Iroha, Okoro Ohowukwe, Ndubuizi Owuabueze, and Ibeleji Chidinma (female) were abducted and taken to the forest.

“The commissioner of police cp Bashir Makama is personally leading the operation to rescue the victims with operatives from the command’s tactical squads combing the entire area.

“The hideout of the hoodlums has been geo-located but our men are trying to be tactical and professional in order not to jeopardize the lives of the victims we are making efforts to rescue.

“With the operation going on presently, we are rest assured that the victims will soon regain their freedom and the hoodlums will definitively be brought to book.”

Meanwhile, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Enoch Adeboye, has called for prayers for the five abducted pastors.