A Catholic priests, Rev. Father, Leo Michael; a yet-to-be-identified Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God; and a lecturer with the Kogi State College of Education (Technical), Kabba, Samuel Aronimu, have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.
The kidnapping of Father Michael has been confirmed by the spokesman of the Kogi State Police Command, William Aya.
The two priests were abducted along Lokoja-Okene Road, while the lecturer was kidnapped along Kabba-Okene Road.
Michael is the presiding priest of Saint Michael Catholic Church, Obajana.
Rev. Fr. Peter Adinoyi, the Diocesan Chancellor, Lokoja Catholic Diocese, confirmed the kidnap to newsmen in Lokoja on Thursday.
Adinoyi said the priest was returning to Obajana from Okene when he was kidnapped on a spot at Irepeni village, Okene-Lokoja road.
According to him, the matter has been promptly reported at the Irepeni Police State.
He added that the army and the Directorate of the State Security were also aware of the development.
However, Adinoyi said that the kidnappers on July 25 called some members of the church to demand a N50 million ransom for the release of their priest.
He said that the kidnappers later reduced the ransom to N20 million and further reduced it to N8 million.
Adinoyi said that the kidnappers gave the church up till 1pm of July 26 to pay the ransom and threatened to relocate the priest should the church fail to meet the deadline.
He said the church was unable to meet the deadline for the payment of the ransom demanded, calling on the security agents to assist in rescuing the cleric from his abductors.
Adinoyi also decried the incessant kidnapping of the less privileged in the state, describing the situation as unfortunate.
Babatunde was said to be on his way to Lokoja for further verification as he has not received his salary for several months because of the alleged issues he had with the exercise.
Aya, who confirmed the abduction of the Reverend father, said the command not aware of the abduction of the other pastor and the lecturer.
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