The wife of the Bishop of the Lagos Central
Diocese of the African Church, Mrs. Dorcas Adebanjo, has been hospitalised
after she was released by her captors on Tuesday.
PUNCH Metro gathered from a reliable
source close to the church leadership that N2m was paid by the church before
she regained her freedom.
The source could not, however, tell if she was
assaulted or manhandled, saying the church hierarchy had maintained seal lips
on her condition.
Dorcas’ release came exactly a week after her
husband, Rt. Rev. Gabriel Adebanjo, regained his freedom from the captors.
Our correspondent had reported that the Adebanjos
had travelled to Delta State on December 5 to attend an adult harvest
programme, which was supposed to hold the following day, but never made it to
their destination.
It was reported that they had got to Effurun
Junction and met a fire incident which made them to change direction.
They were said to have been kidnapped on the new
route by some gunmen, who shot their driver in the hand and leg.
The kidnappers had transferred the couple from
their car to another vehicle which they brought for the operation.
It was also reported that the gang initially
demanded N100m, but later reduced the ransom to N50m, N20m and later to N10m.
PUNCH Metro reported that after the
church raised N2m, the bishop was released, but his wife was detained by the
kidnappers.
A source told PUNCH Metro that Dorcas
was released Tuesday night after the church paid another N2m, adding that she
had been admitted to an undisclosed clinic in Warri.
He said, “She was released yesterday’s night
(Tuesday) after the church paid N2m. She is receiving treatment at an
undisclosed clinic in Warri in order to get over the harrowing experience she
underwent for almost three weeks in the captor’s den.
“The church has not allowed anybody to see her,
and they are not saying anything about her condition. But I learnt that she
could not talk, and was still in shock.
“The church is not happy that it took so long
before they could effect the release of the couple.
“The church members have expressed gratitude to
God that she came back alive to witness the Yuletide.”
Our correspondent was told that the couple would
return to Lagos after they had recuperated.
“We expect them to return after they must have
fully recovered, because they have emaciated terribly,” he added.
However, the diocesan Publicity Secretary, Chief
Femi Adetona, could not be reached to comment on the matter.
It was learnt that the church was embarrassed by
police’s insistence that they were not carried along in the matter.
The state Police Public Relations Officer,
Celestina Kalu, said she was not aware of the release, adding that the church
had not been cooperating with the police.
“I am not aware of the release and there is no
way we can apprehend the kidnappers since the church did not give us the phone
number or any link with which to arrest them,” she said.
*YOUR COMMENTS/OPINIONS ARE WELCOMED*
SOURCE: PUNCH
0 Comment to "Bishop’s Wife Hospitalised After Release From Kidnappers’ Den"
Post a Comment