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The kidnapped Prelate of the Methodist Church, His Eminence Samuel Uche has revealed that he had to part with ₦100m as ransom before he was released by his abductors.
At a press conference in Lagos which was monitored by The Eastern Updates stated that the cleric said the monies were arranged in five sacks of ₦20 million.
The funds, he noted, were raised by the Methodist Church in Nigeria.
Read Also: How Kidnapped Methodist Prelate Regained Freedom –Ikpeazu
He also claimed that neither the Federal or State Government, nor the military or police intervened.
The cleric was kidnapped on Sunday in Abia State but was released on Monday.
The Prelate had been kidnapped alongside two others, the Bishop of Methodist Church, Owerri Diocese and the Prelate’s chaplain.
They were reportedly whisked away at about 2pm on their way from a church programme in Okigwe Imo State to Isuochi in Umu Nneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
Kidnapping for ransom is rife in parts of Nigeria, including the South-East where most violent crimes have been blamed on Ipob, a group seeking secession of the region from Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has taken a tough stance against ransom payments. A law criminalising ransom payments was recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, had attributed the safe release of the kidnapped Prelate to what he described as divine intervention.
The Prelate was released alongside the Methodist Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark, and his (the Prelate’s) chaplain 24 hours after they were kidnapped.
While sharing his excitement about the development in a statement on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka, the governor stated that their release was through ‘grace of God, the fervent prayers of the Christian Community and the well-coordinated response from security agencies in Abia State’.
The Senator representing Abia North at the National Assembly, Orji Uzor Kalu, also pleaded with Imo and Abia States to ensure the release of the Prelate and the other two other victims.
