A Catholic Priest, Reverend Father Joseph Ajayi, has been kidnapped along the Akure-Ikere Road in Ondo State and a N20m ransom demand has been made for his release.
The Secretary to the bishop of the Ondo Catholic Diocese, Jude Arogundade , Rev. Fr. Victor Ibiyemi, who confirmed the incident to newsmen in Akure last night said the kidnappers had contacted the church demanding a sum of N20 million ransom.
Ibiyemi said that; “We are on it since morning, they ( kidnappers) have contacted the church, demanding N20million,” the cleric disclosed.
The clergyman was abducted on Monday while traveling in his Toyota Corolla sedan car.
Ajayi was said to be returning from Ikere – a city in neighbouring Ekiti State and traveling to Ilara-Mokin in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State.
He was on his way to Ilara-Mokin – located very close to Akure, the Ondo State capital where his parish is situated – before he was attacked and taken away by yet-to-be-identified persons to an undisclosed location.
The 49-year-old reverend father was said to be traveling alone.
It is not the first time a Catholic priest would be abducted.
Recently a reverend father was kidnapped in Imo State but those responsible for the incident were arrested by security operatives.
The abducted clergyman who has since regained freedom is Reverend Father Fidelis Ekemgba who is in charge of St. Peter’s Catholic Parish, Umunohu Amakohia in Ihitte Uboma LGA of Imo State.
Among the 13 suspects arrested for the crime and abduction of 13 others was one Pastor Izuchukwu Anoloba of the Apostolic Church of Christ in Eziama Osuama, in Isiala Mbano LGA).
The Commissioner of Police in Imo, Rabiu Huissani, paraded the suspects alongside 16 others arrested for various crimes at the Police Command headquarters in Owerri on Thursday last week.
