In a dramatic development, Pastor Seyi Adekunle, the senior resident pastor of Winners Chapel along IBB Way in Calabar, was abducted by kidnappers who stormed the church premises around 8pm on Saturday. To make matters worse, the church is located next to the headquarters of the Airport Division of the Nigeria Police in Calabar.
Despite this, it took officers and men of the division 30 minutes to arrive at the church after they were contacted about the emergency. According to eyewitness, three armed kidnappers entered the church building unnoticed during the prayer session while a fourth person, who was masked, identified the pastor in the midst of the praying group.
After they entered the church premises, Pastor Ademola was immediately cornered by the abductors and taken away. It is likely that the masked person that identified the pastor was familiar with the church, a member or someone who knew the clergyman well.
“The kidnappers came in during the normal Saturday prayers around 8pm. A group, which includes the pastor, normally gathers to pray for the Sunday service and they were praying when the kidnappers came in unnoticed.
“Three of them were armed while a fourth one, who was not armed, came forward to identify Pastor Ademola to the kidnappers. Their vehicle was on standby and I am sure the person that identified the pastor among those praying was an insider or someone who knows the church," the eyewitness added.
Another eyewitness said the police were contacted while the kidnappers were still inside the church but their response was slow. He disclosed that the kidnappers dragged the pastor to the waiting vehicle outside the church premises and headed towards the newly constructed Goodluck Jonathan Bypass.
Police spokesman Hogan Bassey, disagreed with the insinuations of delayed response, saying the police, led by the divisional police officer of the Airport Division, Asuquo Ebong, stormed the venue immediately the information got to them. He added that they are currently trailing the kidnappers the pastor will soon be released.
Founded by popular clergyman Bishop David Oyedepo, Winners Chapel is formally known as Living Faith Church International. Popularly known as Papa by his ardent followers, Bishop Oyedepo is one of Nigeria's richest men and is estimated by Forbes Magazine to be worth $150m.
Among other things, Bishop Oyedepo owns four private jets, is the owner one of the most expensive private universities in the country and his church headquarters has the biggest religious auditorium in the world with a seating capacity in excess of 50,000. It is not yet clear if the kidnappers will be contacting him directly for a ransom.
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