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The Ogun State Police Command says it has “geolocated” the forest where the five abducted pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) are being held by their kidnappers.
The pastors who were on their way to the church’s Ministers’ Conference at the Redemption Camp located along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The names of the abducted pastors are Chidioze Eluwa, Chiemela Iroha, Okoro Ohowukwe, Ndubuizi Owuabueze, and Ibeleji Chidinma (female).
According to the police who are making frantic efforts to secure the release of the pastors, the kidnappers are keeping their victims at a forest at the Ogbere – Ijebu – Ode stretch of the Lagos –Ore expressway where the kidnapping occured
The command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, explained that 10 hoodlums, intercepted the commercial bus marked KW 230 XA in which the kidnapped victims were travelling from Abia State to Lagos.
Oyeyemi disclosed that the commercial bus, belonging to Abia line Transport Company, was intercepted at the J3 area of Ogbere in Ijebu Waterside local government area of the state.
He said the police had successfully “geolocate” the hideout of the kidnappers where the incident occurred, adding that the state’s Commissioner of Police (CP), Bashir Makama had led a powerful police rescue team to the location to rescue the victims.
His words: “On the 1st of August 2019, at about 3:30 pm, the Ogun state police command received an information that a commercial vehicle with registration number KW 230 XA belonging to Abia line transport company was coming from the Eastern part of the country heading towards Lagos, on getting to J3 area of Ogbere, some hoodlums numbering about 10 suddenly came out of the forest and forcefully stopped the vehicle.
” Five amongst the passengers namely Chidioze Eluwa, Chiemela Iroha, Okoro Ohowukwe, Ndubuizi Owuabueze, and Ibeleji Chidinma (female) were abducted and taken to the forest.
“The commissioner of police cp Bashir Makama is personally leading the operation to rescue the victims with operatives from the command’s tactical squads combing the entire area.
“The hideout of the hoodlums has been geolocated but our men are trying to be tactical and professional in order not to jeopardize the lives of the victims we are making efforts to rescue.
“With the operation going on presently, we are rest assured that the victims will soon regain their freedom and the hoodlums will definitively be brought to book.”