Kidnappers Abduct 9 Churchgoers on Kogi Road, Demand 30m Ransom

• Nine members of Jehovah Witness were kidnapped on their way to their place of worship in Kogi state on Saturday
• The armed kidnappers initially demanded N30m but later reduced the ransom to N2.6m and warned the victims' families not to contact the Police or risk their loved ones being hurt
• The police have been informed and promised to look into the matter, promising to come out with details of the events later

A group of nine people, including two female students, were kidnapped by armed men on Kabba-Lokoja Road in Kogi State last weekend.

The victims were on their way to a church convention in Lokoja when they were ambushed and taken into the bush.

The kidnappers have contacted the families of the victims and demanded a ransom of N2.6 million, after initially asking for N30 million. They also warned them not to alert the police or risk harming the hostages, reported the Vanguard.

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The kidnapped travellers are all members of the Jehovah Witness, a Christian denomination that is known for its door-to-door preaching and refusal of blood transfusions, Leadership reported.

They had left the Kingdom Hall in Kabba, where they worship, on Saturday afternoon.

One of the victims' husbands, Mr. Elupo Eliazer, who is a person living with disability, narrated how he narrowly escaped the abduction. He said he and his wife were travelling in separate vehicles, as the Toyota bus they had booked was full.

"My wife and I were travelling to attend our church convention scheduled for Lokoja, but I decided to follow a different vehicle as the Toyota bus could not contain all of us, else I would have been in the car with her," he said.

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He added that the vehicle his wife boarded was ahead of his own, and by the time he reached the spot where the incident occurred, the kidnappers had already taken the passengers into the bush.

He said he was devastated by the news and appealed for the safe release of his wife and the other victims.

The police have confirmed the incident and said they are working to rescue the hostages and arrest the perpetrators. The police public relations officer, William Aya, said he would provide more details later.

Gunmen demand N100m for 9 kidnapped Ekiti students

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that unknown armed men in Ekiti state had abducted nine schoolchildren.

The assailants ambushed the school bus conveying the student and took the small children hostage and are demanding N100 million ransom for their release.

Source: Legit.ng