Septuagenarian pastor kidnapped in Ondo

A re­nowned pastor in Ondo State, Japhet Obafemi, has been kidnapped, barely 24 hours after the re­lease of the National Chairman of the So­cial Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae, by his abductors.

Obafemi, who is the Pastor in charge of The Apostolic Faith, Ikare Akoko in Akoko North East Local Government Area of the state, was re­portedly kidnapped yes­terday by gunmen.

The 70-year-old Chris­tian cleric was said to have been abducted along Auga-Akunnu road near the Ondo-Kogi states border.

It was gath­ered that the abductors of Obafemi had contacted members of his family demanding the payment of N20 million ransom before his release.

A member of Obafemi family, who preferred an­onymity, said the family and the church of the ab­ducted pastor could not afford to pay the ransom.

The caretaker chair­man of Akoko North East Local Government Area, Alhaji Azeez Al-amam confirmed the incident.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area, Mr Musliyu Sogbade, said efforts were being made to res­cue the septuagenarian priest.