Ex Can President Kidnap Story

A former President of the
Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN), Peter Jasper
Akinola, who was kidnapped
by gunmen on December
24, 2013, Tuesday, and freed later that day by a
search party headed by the Governor of Ogun
State, Ibikunle Amosun, recounted his ordeal in the
hands of his abductors.
The former CAN leader spoke to PREMIUM TIMES
at his Abeokuta residence in the morning of
December 25, 2013, Wednesday, shortly before he
headed out to church for Christmas service.
The retired primate of the Anglican Church said the
gunmen pounced on him and his driver as he was
leaving this foundation's office along the Lagos-
Ibadan Expressway.
He said the four men gang blocked his car, and
pulled him and his driver out at gun point. One of
the bandits then took over the steering wheel while
another member pinned down the cleric and his
driver at the back.
Two other gang members followed behind in a
Toyota Primera car they brought for the operation.
"We could not even identify the road the
bandits were taking us through as we were
ordered to lie face down or else they would
blow us up," the former CAN leader said.
As Mr. Akinola and his driver were held to the
ground, the car continued to navigate territories
unknown to the clergyman and his driver. He
believes the gunmen could have driven him and his
driver around for about 100 kilometres before their
eventual release.
As they drove along, the abductors began making
demands for ransom, to be paid in dollars, Mr.
Akinola said.
But ex-CAN President explained them that he was a
retired pastor living in the village and had no
money, only his pension.
Mr. Akinola narrated that the gang then ransacked
the vehicle and when they didn't find any money,
they, in disappointment, decided to release their
captives.
"The gang then asked us to go into different
directions into the bush.
"I took to the right hand side, while my driver
took to the left hand side, and we had to use
our hands to clear the bush, while the gang
later left with the car. I just kept praying for
safety," the cleric said.
He said some minutes later, he found himself on
the main road and that as he was wondering about
the "angel" that would take him home , a
detachment of police officers arrived, firing
gunshots.
"I saw a police vehicle coming and there
were gunshots, and the police team later
came to rescue me from the spot," the cleric
continued.
Mr. Akinola commended the police and the Ogun
state governor for promptly swinging into action to
rescue him and his driver.
"The police honestly impressed me, they did
wonderfully well.
"I have to praise them, and I appreciate the
governor who left his work to the bush
looking for us. It's unprecedented for a
governor to personally lead a team into the
bush. He risked his life and yet he didn't mind
that. I' am deeply touched and impressed,"
the ex- CAN leader said.
Mr. Akinola beamed with smiles for most of the
time this interview lasted and his narrations were
intermittently punctuated with praises to God.
The driver, Jonah Amodu, in his own narration,
recalled that he was ordered out of the driver's seat
while one of the men took over the steering of the
primate's Land Cruiser Jeep.
"They ordered me and my oga to lie face
down at the back and immediately drove off.
"We didn't even know where we were heading
to. I was even hit with gun on my back as
they asked us to cooperate with them," Mr.
Amodu said.
"I trekked inside the bush, before luckily I got
to a road, and then later located an Anglican
Church in the area, where I narrated our
plights to the church officials who immediately
rose up to the challenges, contacting relevant
personalities before our final rescue," he said.