Chidi Samuel|
A pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Chidimma Ibenegbu on Saturday narrated how God helped her to escape from the kidnappers who abducted her and four others on Thursday along the J4 axis of the Ondo-Sagamu express way.
According to Ibenegbu, the abductors, whom she described as herdsmen, ambushed their vehicle near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
Ibenegbu, who narrated her experience at the RCCG’s conference ground, said that the commercial bus she was travelling with to this year’s Ministers’ Conference, ran into the well-armed men, who forced them out of the vehicle and into the forest.
Ibenegbu told her fellow ministers that she prayed to God for her abductors to fall asleep and that God answered her prayers, making it possible for her to make her escape.
She said, “I prayed to God to make them fall asleep, and they fell asleep and continued to sleep, until I began to make my way out of the bush. I was asking God for direction to the road.”
The minister said she eventually found her way to a road and met a motorcyclist who brought her to a police checkpoint after narrating her ordeal to him.
According to her, she was subsequently interviewed by the Police Commissioner and the information she provided helped in rescuing the other four captives.
Responding to her testimony, the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye told the ministers to pray for those still in captivity in the country as God still answers prayers.
Gringory’s son recounts experience…
Also, the son of the late comedian, James Iroha, alias Giringori, one of five persons kidnapped along Sagamu-Benin-Ore Expressway last Thursday has narrated their experience in the hands of their abductors.
Iroha, abducted alongside four others narrated their ordeal at the police officers mess in Abeokuta following their rescue by the Ogun State Police Command on Saturday.
According to him, they were made to treck some 30 kilometers into the forest as their abductors whom he described as Fulani herdsmen, humiliated and tortured them with every object available.
However, their respite came when a police surveillance helicopter hovered over the area which unsettled their abductors who abandoned them and ran away.
Iroha said, “Well it’s an experience I wouldn’t wish my enemy because it looks nice for me to stand before you, you needed to see me when I got rescued, I was manhandled, I was roughed, I was tortured name it.”
“It’s horrible where this country is driving at. This gentleman shot for like one hour on the road, until policemen came and they ran away and they took us inside a forest till this morning,,
“I want to use this opportunity to thank the police because the pressure they gave them led us released. If there was no pressure they would have had a field day. Why am I saying this because where we were held, we were put in a slum; we slept in a slum with insects and reptiles; we moved like 30 kilometers inside the jungle where nobody has treaded, they were comfortable there, they have very dangerous weapons.
“They have different ammunitions but the moment we see police helicopter that descended above our head, the kidnappers took to their heels and started being panicky, they knew that some people were on their trail. I also want to appreciate the local hunters, they were always coming out, we used to see them, there are some areas they couldn’t get to because they thought people can’t be there but that was where we were.
“Well from the looks, there are somethings I can’t say because it’s a bit sensitive because the police are on the matter now for the sake of not destroying the evidence. From the language they spoke, they are pure Fulani herdsmen no doubt about it, I wouldn’t want to go further than that.
“They don’t know me, I don’t know them either, I was in a bus, in fact, they told us that they don’t have business with us, but the car they were shooting at drove away with bullet. The guy managed to go with two tyres and they turned back and descended on us, they picked us randomly, we never knew them from Adam, they just said their bullets will not go away they needed someone to pay for it and they took us.”
Ogun Police Commissioner Speaks…
Ogun state police commissioner, Bashir Makama, told newsmen that four suspects are already in police custody in connection with the crime.
Makama said, “You will recall we had a situation where five persons were kidnapped precisely on 1st of August at about 3:30 along Shagamu -Ore, Ogun State that is around Ogbere to be precise. Four male and one female were taken into captivity by kidnappers who stopped them on the highway and diverted or took them into the forest, the search commenced that same day. There were massive deployment of policemen into the area and search commenced right into the forest.
“It didn’t work out first day, yesterday was another day, again the search continued. All the deployment we had were massively supported by the local vigilante and the local hunters, the helicopter didn’t stop its work; we still have air surveillance that was massively and thoroughly conducted around the bush and geo-locations.
“Well as God will have it this morning, the first victim which was the woman was rescued very early this morning and she has since joined her family at the Redeemed Church of God. The remaining four men, the search continued for them, the pressure was mounted, the policemen lined up although, as God will have it, they were equally rescued unhurt. That is to say, the five persons that were kidnapped were all rescued unhurt.
“One thing, I want to call the attention of Nigerians to is to clear the air that the five of them are pastors of the Redeemed Church of God. At the time the information filtered, we didn’t have any issues to join words with anyone because first and foremost they were taken into the bush, nobody knew their identities, relatives started calling, at that point we didn’t want to say whether they were all pastors or not.
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