Ex-Anglican Primate Peter Jasper Akinola kidnapped

07:42:00

Unidentified gunmen yesterday kidnapped the immediate past Primate of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Peter Jasper Akinola.

Primate Akinola and his person driving were snatched away by the gunmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital at about 3pm.

The Primate and his driver were last evening released from the kidnappers along Joga-Iboro Road near the border with Benin Republic, the policemanman said.

In what would have been one of the biggest situations of abduction, the 69-year-old previous fiery cleric was overpowered by the gun-totting men at the entry of the Peter Akionola base Centre for youth developed teaching at Kilometre 10 beside Obada-Oko along the Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway.

The former leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) hails from Abeokuta. He was at the centre – which he founded to take care of the underprivileged – to examine some tasks inside the office when the gunmen raged the location.

The gunmen allegedly halted the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) interior which he was and organised him and his driver out, pointing cannons at them.

They allegedly shot sporadically into the air before getting away with the cleric, his driver and his car.

The abductors had not established any communicate with the family as at last evening.

The policemanman cautioned against referring to the incident as kidnapping. But they verified that the Archbishop, who will turn 70 next month, was taken away by equipped one.

The CAN last evening accused the abduction of the primate.

CAN President Ayo Oritsejafor, talking through his exceptional Assistant on Media and Public activities, Kenny Ashaka said:

“It is totally unacceptable to us that Primate Jasper Akinola is kidnapped. This is a left man of God and we marvel what kind of cash the kidnappers desire to get from a left man of God. We accept as true that this kidnapping is for ransom.

“We plead with the kidnappers to issue him unconditionally and use the occasion of Christmas commemoration to contemplate on Christ’s eternal message of love, passion and humility. They should issue him directly.

“Instead of kidnapping men of God, the kidnappers should pray for managers, if devout or political.

“We are also calling on security agencies to quickly sway into action and help to pathway down these kidnappers. They should furthermore ensure that Primate Akinola is not harmed while releasing him.”

Last Sunday at the June 12 heritage Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta throughout the Ogun State Carol Service of Nine Lessons, Rev. Akinola read the third lesson in Yoruba.

Association Chairman Gbenga Gbesan told reporters that Rev. Akinola required not be subjected to such experience because, he habitually fought for the poor.

Gbesan said: “We appeal for the direct release of the revered Primate without any status attached to it whatsoever.

“And it was for this reason that he set up the Youth developed Training Centre to train jobless youth to acquire abilities to endow them lived a significant life.

policeman spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi told reporters in a telephone interview that it was early in the day to recount the occurrence as kidnapping, supplementing that security bureaus had been put on the attentive.

Adejobi said: “The fact that gunmen went away with the Bishop, his person driving and his vehicle does not connote kidnap.

“Our men at the boundary have been placed on the red attentive, he said undertaking that Rev. Akinola would be retrieved alive.”

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