Our kidnappers were Fulani herdsmen: RCCG pastor, Iroha

The female pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God kidnapped, along with four other persons, near Ijebu-Ode on Thursday and who regained her freedom early today said their abductors were Fulani herdsmen.

Her testimony has further underscored the banditry threat posed by the criminal wing of herdsmen, on rampage in many parts of the country.

Mrs Ibelegbu Chidinma, a deaconess from Abia State RCCG 3, according to Vanguard, gave her testimony during the ongoing ministers conference on Saturday night.

Chidinma said she prayed that God should allow her captors to fall asleep after which she sneaked out of the kidnappers’ den.

She was the first captive of the abductors that got in contact with the police Saturday morning, before the four others were later rescued by the police.



Her testimony about the identity of their captors was corroborated by Chiemela Iroha, son of
James Iroha, the actor known as ‘Gringori’ in an NTA drama series, New Masquerade.
He said the herdsmen kidnapped them and herded them into the forest on 1 August at the J3, Ogbere – Ijebu – Ode (Ogun State) stretch of the Lagos – Ore expressway.

He claimed they were kidnapped to pay for the cost of bullets expended on a high profile target who the kidnappers were chasing, but who eluded them, in the account published by TheNation.
Narrating further, the young Iroha said the abductors “humiliated and tortured” them with any object they could lay their hands on, including marching them on a tortuous and drudgery 30km walk into a jungle of forests.

The traumatized Iroha said given the physical appearance and language spoken, he was doubly sure that their abductors were “Fulani herdsmen.”

While their ordeal lasted, he added that they were given no food or water throughout the three days of staying both in the creeks and land.

He recalled that respite began to come their way when the Police surveillance helicopter hovered repeatedly across the area where they were kept, forcing the abductors to abandon them and “take to their heels.”

Iroha, however, lauded the Police, local vigilante group and hunters for the pressure mounted on the kidnapers, which eventually led to their rescue.

The Police Commissioner in Ogun State, Baahir Makama said four suspects were arrested in connection with the abduction.

Makama said contrary to the report that the victims were all pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG), only one, a deaconess, is a member of RCCG.

*This story has been revised to correct the impression that all the five persons captured by the herdsmen are all pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.