Strange turn of events led to the escape of a Pastor, Gilbert Akioyamen, from the arms of kidnappers, who abducted him on March 24, 2016, at Ukhun road, Ekpoma, Esan West local government area of Edo state.

Speaking on the abduction, the Edo state commissioner of police, Chris Ezike, stated that Akioyamen was kidnapped around 6:00 pm while on his way to the Deeper Life church camp ground.

Three of the suspected abductors, Charles Arasomwan, 22; Jezreel Ekanem, 21; and Mbindi Nneka, 26; were on Thursday, paraded before the public in Benin, Edo state.

Speaking on the kidnap, the youngest of the three suspects stated that the pastor was kept in their custody by members of a gang, who promised them a reward for watching over the pastor.

“They said that they were going to a bank and told us to keep an eye on the man‎. They said that they would give us something to buy some beer. The man did not talk to us, so we slept off. When we woke up, we realised that he had escaped.”

Nneka, the only female among the three stated that: “I don’t know how the matter started. I used to reside at the apartment before after getting married, I gave may brothers the key to the house. It was the landlord that instructed me to remove the property there and I was only acting on his instructions.”

“I wish I knew that it would have resulted into this; it was the landlord that has put me in this problem.‎ I only went there to move my property from the house.”

The State commissioner of police noted that the police had received a call for help and had gone on to search the buildings in the area.

He, however, noted that Arasomwan and Ekanem were caught in the building where the Pastor was held hostage, while the lady was found in the apartment of one of the suspects, who is her relative.

Two locally made cut-to-size single barrel guns, mask, ATM cards, one long rope and one mat were recovered from the suspects.

Mazi Emeka