Metro
Ogun CCC Shepherd narrates ‘miraculous’ escape from Fulani gunmen, says orphan still held
Oluwaseyifunmi Oladapo, the shepherd of a Celestial Church parish in the Mowe area of Ogun State, has shared with FIJ details of his Maundy Thursday abduction and subsequent escape from armed abductors.
The kidnappers took Oladapo from the pulpit in Jehovah Shalom Parish and dragged Abiola Oluboboye, his assistant, away with them.
FIJ had reported Oladapo’s escape against police lies that he was rescued in March. He narrated an escape that he described to FIJ as miraculous on Saturday.
“They were about seven, those who came to kidnap me. I was preaching on the pulpit when the armed men entered the church that night. Four of them came into the church with three guns, blocking all three entrances. The first thing they asked for was my iPhone, even though the phone wasn’t with me at the time,” Oladapo said.
“My phone [an iPhone 14] was in my house, which I had locked up before going to church that evening. We could not get the keys on time, and the kidnappers took me and Oluboboye with them.
They threatened to shoot a church worker but did not harm anyone. Instead, they shot the roof of the church from the inside and the outside. They shot at something they thought was a CCTV camera.
“The kidnappers took us through a bushy area close to the church and we had to walk in the bush. They spoke Yoruba, Pidgin English and their own language.
I could tell that they were Fulani when they spoke their language. They spoke the Fulani Language to one another. Two of the seven armed men withdrew from the pack, leaving only five armed men escorting me and Oluboboye in the bush.
“They attacked the church around 7:30 pm. Before they went into the bush, the kidnappers pulled the shoes they wore and put on bathroom slippers.
The armed men made us walk between them. Three with guns walked ahead of us, while two with cutlasses stayed behind us. They stopped after we had trekked a reasonable distance in the bush and told me they wanted N50 million.
“I told them that I didn’t have N50 million or N30 million. They had the barrels of their guns on my neck as we negotiated. I told them that I could manage N10 million just because I wanted to stay alive. They agreed and asked us to pay an extra N5 million for Oluboboye.
I begged them that we didn’t have money and, when they said that they would shoot him right there, I told them that Oluboboye had no father or mother. We eventually settled for N13 million in ransom.
“It was God who saved me. We approached a road after walking in the bush for some time. There was a beer parlour by the side of the same road. Music came from the beer parlour, and I knew that people were there past midnight.
“As soon as the kidnappers realised that there might be people who could challenge them, they hurriedly got us back into the bush. At this point, the kidnappers did not know which path to take in the bush.
They were unfamiliar with the terrain, and I got separated from them at that point. God saved me from their clutches. I cannot explain how exactly, but it was miraculous. I was with the kidnappers till 2 am.
“I found my way back to the main road. People refused to open their doors to me; they thought I was a robber. A fourth resident heard my pleas, and I explained to them that I was kidnapped. They told me that I was in Ofada. I did not know the place, and I wasn’t familiar with the town.
All I knew was that there was a parish whose shepherd I knew of. Some residents escorted me to the town’s chief’s premises. A shepherd from a parish in the town came there to take me.
“When we returned from the town’s chief’s residence, we saw the bush path from where I had escaped. There were no security operatives present or close by, so we couldn’t immediately follow the trail to track the kidnappers. I spent the night with the shepherd in Ofada.
We called my phone and I spoke with those at home. The kidnappers called us to ask for the ransom, using Oluboboye’s phone that week. They suddenly stopped calling.
“The last time we could reach them on the phone was last Saturday. The police contacted us and promised to help with Oluboboye’s recovery. We are just praying and hoping to hear from him. His family just needs to know that he is alright.”
The District Head of Odugbeho in Agatu Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state, Chief Anthony Adejoh has been murdered by suspected armed herdsmen.
Reports have it that the royal father and one Jerry John were gruesomely murdered Wednesday afternoon by the marauders at Otobi-Akpa in Otukpo LGA.
The duo were said to be working in their farms in Otobi when the marauders stormed the area and opened fire on them.
They were later discovered dead when the people who heard the sound of gunshots dashed to the scene and found them dead.
Confirming the development, the Chairman of Agatu LGA, Mr. Marvis Ejeh, said Chief Adejo was gruesomely killed on his farm at Akpa-Otobi by armed herders who invaded the area at about 10 am.
He described late royal father as a peace builder, an astute community builder and a community leader who would be greatly missed by all.
The Chairman said, “I can confirm to you that the district head of Odugbeho, Chief Tony Adej,o has been killed. He was killed by some armed herdsmen while working on his farm at Otobi in Otukpo LGA of the State.
“Despite hearing this ugly news, Odugbeho community is calm, our people are calm because we will not take law into our hands.
“Nobody is taking the law into their hands, there is no need for a reprisal attack because the incident did not happen at home. Agatu is calm and peaceful.”
The Agatu Chairman, who enjoined the people to be security conscious wherever they find themselves said “Agatu people residing and farming in other LGAs should be careful and watchful.
“They should liaise with the local authority and know the areas that are safe to work for now, since the government is trying to curb the issue of insecurity in the entire Benue South District or Zone c.”
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent, CSP, Chatherine Anene said she had yet received reports of the incident.
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to prosecute 74 individuals apprehended for violating environmental regulations within the state.
According to the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the suspects were arrested during a coordinated enforcement operation by the state’s Taskforce in the early hours of Tuesday around 1 a.m., targeting key locations across the Lekki axis of Lagos Island.
The enforcement sweep covered areas including the Falomo Bridge, Eko Hotel Roundabout, Oniru Beach, Lekki Phases 1 and 2, and the 1004 Estate. A total of 72 men and two women were taken into custody.
Wahab explained that the operation aimed to restore order and sanitation in the affected areas.
He added that the suspects will face prosecution in accordance with state laws and urged residents to remain law-abiding and committed to maintaining a clean, orderly environment for all.
The police in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday arraigned 30 persons before a Benin High Court for alleged murder and cultism.
The 30 persons are standing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, cultism, armed attack, and belonging to unlawful society.
The defendants were arraigned in three batches with the same seven-count charges.
The defendants arraigned in the first batch are Paul Elekun 25, Muetinyan Osagbovo 25, Opkala Bernice 22, Nnajiofor Francis 23, Imuetinyan Osanogara 21, Christian Augustine 22, Aniyea Choice 33, Saturday Umukoro 20.
The second batch are Gmogbo Ufoha 22, Emoh Emmanuel 29, Olavwola Gchinamen 32, Eriator Osaihon 44, Isaac Michael 32, Festus Arihian 37, Tedius Jude 25., Emmanuel Okhie 29, Daniel Oyakhilome 29, John Umoren 28.
The third batch are Ogoigbe Richard 33, Omokwua Cliton 32, Solomo Peisi (No specific age), Ezebuke Bright 29, Okoloagu Chicks 45, Ajuja Frank 25, Onemu Oghenekome Michael 19,
Jerry Lazarus 27, Patrick Arneka Joshua 22, Daniel James 28, Moses Peter 37, and Ewalefoh Prosper Osamudiahen 20.
The Prosecutor, Polycarp Odion told the court that the defendants and others, allegedly on May 1, did conspire to commit a felony.
Mr Odion alleged that on the same day within Benin City, without lawful authority, the defendants allegedly carried out armed attacks against a section of residents of the Benin metropolis.
The defendants were also alleged to have conspired among themselves to commit murder.
According to the prosecutor, the defendants and others at large, at different dates within Benin City did conspire and belong to an unlawful society.
He said the offences contravened Sections 412 (2), 64, and 247 of the Criminal Law of Edo State Law, 2022.
The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendants in the Correctional Centre for an initial 14 days, pending the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Counsels to the defendants prayed the court to grant them bail as they were presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
According to the counsels, the defendants were picked in indifferent areas in the metropolis, which includes Ugbowo axis, Sapele road axis and Garrick Memorial College axis.
They said some were picked while they were eating, some inside the bus on their way home from work, some were arrested while driving and their vehicles impounded.
They said that the judge has the right to grant the defendants bail, urging the judge to exercise the same to grant the defendants’ bail.
They added that they all have reasonable surety to stand for their bail and ensure their presence in court on an adjournment date.
Among the defence counsels for the defendants who spoke were a former Chief Magistrate, Peter Asemota (retd), Ede Asenoguan, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Benin City Branch, Paul Badaki, J.E. Igunma, A.D.Ajeka, O.J.Odi, E.B.KiKa, among others.
The presiding judge, Justice Williams Azeigbemhin, however granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million each with one surety in like sum.
Mr Azeigbemhin said both the defendants and surety must produce their NIN card, valid ID cards, and three passport photographs each.
He said that the surety must be a senior staff member of a recognised establishment.
He added that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and all information must be verified by the court registrar.
He then adjourned the case until May 19.
(NAN)
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