In the early hours of Wednesday, 22nd of January 2025, news filtered in of the release of the three abducted crusade Pastors who were kidnapped in Ejule, Ofu LGA of Kogi State by hoodlums on Monday night on their way from the 3-Day “Ejule Gospel Crusade ” organized by renowned clergy man, Evang. Sunday Oguche of God’s Care Missions located in Okpo in Olamaboro LGA of Kogi State after their second day ministration at the program.
It was gathered that the Kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N20 million naira for the release of the three men of God. The Senior Pastor was said to have engaged in a serious prayer session with his Pastors while the negotiation was ongoing with the kidnappers as the men of the Nigerian Army were also making relentless efforts in the search for the kidnappers hideout.
According to inside sources close to the Pastors, the victims were released after a suitable negotiation of the ransom was arrived at by both parties.
It was gathered that the sum of approximately N2 million naira was paid for the three men of God.
You would recall that Holi Magik Tv reported that a wife of a United Evangelical Church Elder who was kidnapped 4 days earlier before this incident was also held in the kidnappers’ den as her husband and family struggled to raise a N50 million naira ransom initially demanded by the hoodlums.
It was later discovered that it was the same kidnappers who abducted the woman earlier, making them a total of four victims in the custody.
The family of the woman however parted away with a ransom of N1million naira for her release.
While in custody, the hoodlums were said to have collected all the mobile phones of the four victims and cleared all the money in their bank accounts through a mobile transfer but refused to return their phones upon release.
Our sources revealed that the Pastors have started registering new mobile sim cards as their sim cards were also not returned to them.
The crusade which was scheduled to run from 19th- 21st of January was however aborted by Evang Sunday Oguche and his team and they have moved out of Ejule for safety of their lives.
The issue of insecurity plaguing Kogi State especially in the Eastern part of the State has become worrisome and urgently requires a swift attention of Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo for a lasting solution as innocent people of the State can no longer go about their businesses in peace.
Cases of kidnapping has become very rampant across the local governments of the State making it difficult for a week or two to pass by without a news of kidnapping or armed robbery attack.
