Ekiti pastor ‘kidnaps self’, demands N3m from congregation

Adewuyi Adegoke, a pastor at Methodist Church, Ado-Ekiti, capital of Ekiti state, has been arrested by the police for allegedly organising his own kidnap.

Adegoke had arranged with one Oluwadare Sunday to demand N3 million ransom from his congregation.

He reportedly went into hiding on Sunday evening while there were reports that he was abducted between Esa-Oke in Osun state and Aramoko-Ekiti in Ekiti.

His purported abductors later contacted the church members to demand the ransom, which they insisted must be paid latest by Thursday to prevent the reverend from being killed.

Detectives, however, intercepted the pastor’s accomplice, Sunday, who came to pick up the ransom at Okeyinmi area of Ado-Ekiti, after which he led them to the hotel where the pastor had been hiding.

Detectives reportedly tracked the suspects through the mobile phone that he was using to make contact with the church members.

Amba Asuquo, commissioner of police in Ekiti, confirmed that the command is investigating the incident but refused to disclose the identities of the suspects.

“Yes there is something close to that, but we are still investigating and will come out with the details later,” he told reporters.

When asked if the reverend was among the suspects in custody, Asuquo said, “I know we have some suspects in custody in connection with the incident but I cannot reveal their identities to you now.”

When the news of the reverend’s kidnap broke, several members of his congregation took to social media to solicit support towards his rescue.

On Facebook, one Awoyemi Matthew wrote: “People of God. everywhere. please let us raise prayer altars for this vibrant servant of God. REV Adewuyi Adegoke, who was kidnapped recently between Ekiti and Osun state.”