For the ten days the Bishop of the Lagos
Central Diocese of the African Church, Rt. Rev. Gabriel Adebanjo, was
in captivity of kidnappers in Delta State, he was fed only Garri
(cassava flakes) and water.
Punch Newspaper was told by church
officials that by the time he was released, he was taken to a hospital
for check-up but that he had become so weak that the doctors advised he
be hospitalised in Warri, the Delta State capital.
It was learnt that he has since been
stabilised but he has not yet been able to recount all that occurred to
him in the forest in which he was said to have been kept.
Meanwhile, his wife, Dorcas, who was
also kidnapped, was not released along with him as the kidnappers have
said the ‘meagre’ amount they were paid only covered the bishop.
Church officials have been tight-lipped
about the amount paid out of the N10m demanded by the kidnappers, but it
was confirmed ransom was indeed paid to secure his release. It was also
learnt that the church had raised N2m but it could not be confirmed
whether the amount paid as ransom was more than that.
“We were happy that the bishop was
released. But we are intensifying prayers on a daily basis for the quick
release of his wife. We are praying to hear the good news soon,” the
Diocesan Publicity Secretary, Chief Femi Adetona, told Saturday PUNCH.
The kidnap of the bishop and his wife has been a source of apprehension in the African Church community for days.
Saturday PUNCH broke the story
of the abduction of the bishop last week, reporting that he and his wife
were grabbed on Saturday, December 5 as they were slated to attend an
adult harvest programme the following day in Warri.
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