SON OF LATE COMEDIAN, GIRINGORI AMONG ADBUCTED PERSONS ON SAGAMU-BENIN-ORE EXPRESSWAY

The son of the comedian, Chiemela Iroha while narrating their ordeal to journalists at Police Officers Mess in Abeokuta gave details on why the “Fulani herdsmen” kidnapped and matched them (victims into the forest, which he said was 30km away from the land of the living.

The victim said they(victims  were kidnapped to pay for the cost of bullets expended on a high profile target which eventually escaped from the scene of the crime, adding that  the abductors humiliated and tortured them with any available object they could lay their hands on.

Penpushing further reports that, Iroha accompanied by other victims said the kidnappers led them on    a tortuous walk 30kms into a jungle which is about 30 kilometers to the Expressway, where they were abducted.

The son of Giringori said with the conversation with the kidnappers, he was 100% sure that, their abductors were Fulani herdsmen with their physical appearance and language spoken, who told them, that they were victims of their earlier missed target.

Penpushing also reports that, Iroha recalled that, they (victims) were not given food or water through three days of staying in both creeks and land, adding that respite came for victims when the Police surveillance helicopter hovered   across the area where they were kept.

The victim added that, the kidnappers became uncomfortable with the development, and had no choice than to abandon them in the forest and thereafter “took to their heels.”. He commended the Police, local vigilante group and hunters for pressure mounted on the kidnapers and which eventually led to their rescue.

‘Well its an experience I wouldn’t wish my enemy because it looks nice for me to stand before you, you needed to see me when I got rescued, I was man handled, I was roughed, I was tutored name it, it’s horrible where this country is driving out, this gentlemen shot for like one hour on the road unit policemen and they ran away and they took us inside a forest till this morning’.

‘I want to use this opportunity to thank the Police because the pressure they gave them led us released if there was no pressure they would have had a free day. Why am I saying this because when we were held, we were put in a slump we slept in a slump with insect and reptiles , we moved like 30 kilometers inside the jungle where nobody has threaded, they were comfortable there, they have very dangerous weapons’

‘They have different ammunitions but the moment we see police helicopter that descended above our head, the kidnapers took to their heels and hit at some point and they started being panic, they knew that some people were in their trail, I also want to appreciate the local hunters, they were always coming out, we used to see them, there are some areas they couldn’t get to because they thought people can’t be there but that was where we were’.

‘Well from the looks, there are something I can’t say because it’s a bit sensitive because the police are on the matter now for the sake of not destroying the evidence. From the language they spoke they are pure Fulani herdsmen no doubt about it, I wouldn’t want to go further than that’.

‘They don’t know me, I don’t know them either, I was in a bus, infact they told us that they don’t have business with us, but the car they were shooting at drove away with bullet, but the guy managed to go with two Tyres and they turned back and descended on us, they picked us randomly, we never knew them from Adam, they just said their bullet will not go away they needed someone to pay for it and they took us’.

The Police Commissioner in Ogun State, Baahir Makama, while speaking with journalists said four suspects were already arrested in connection with the crime, explaining that contrary to the report that the victims were all Pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), only one, a Deaconess, is a member of the Church.

‘You will recall we had a situation where five persons were kidnapped precisely on 1st of August at about 3:30 along Shagamu -Ore, Ogun State that is around Ogbere to be precise. Four male and one female were taken into captivity by kidnapers who stopped them on the highway and diverted or took them into the forest, the search commenced that same day, there were massive deployment of policemen into the area and search commenced right into the forest’.

‘It didn’t work out first day, yesterday was another day, again the search continues all the deployment we had massively and supported by the local vigilante and the local hunters, the helicopter didn’t stop it’s work we still have air surveillance that was massively and thoroughly conducted around the bush and geo locations’.

‘Well as God will have it this morning, the first victim which was the woman was rescued very early this morning and she has since joined her family at the Redeemed Church of God, the remaining four men the search continues for them, the pressure was mounted, the police men lined up although, as God will have it, they were equally rescued in hurt. That is to say the five persons that were kidnapped were all rescued unhurt.

‘On thing I want to call the attention of Nigerians to is to clear the air that the five of them are Pastors of the Redeemed Church of God at the time the information filter, we didn’t have any issues to join words with any one because first and foremost they were taken into the bush, nobody knew their identity, relatives started calling, at that point we didn’t want to say whether they are all Pastors or not but as at now the story is that only the woman is a Deaconess of the Redeemed Church of God and she has since then joined her family just like the four gentlemen will join their families soon from what appeared to have been holding them into ransom. Even though  in the process one or two things could have happened at the bush’.

‘Arrest were made, in such cases, there might be no direct arrest but soft target those we buy foods, those who gave information, those that are suspected, that was why I said other things that happened at the forest is for investigation’.

‘To me, I’m not aware of ransom being paid, but they were rescued.  Arrested so far in connection to this case was about three or four, because I was personally there. Security is there, you know somebody who wants to track you knows how to do it even in the midst of heavy security, it’s just to use the last loop hole to rein terror and that’s how terrorists work, where you think they will be they will not be there, definitely there’s no way for them in this State’.