The CAC members were on their way to Ifon in Ose LGA to attend the burial of a parent of their member
By Kehinde Okeowo
About 25 choir members of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Oke-Igan, Akure, the Ondo State capital, were allegedly abducted by gunmen on Friday, September 29.
According to DAILY POST, the victims were on their way to Ifon in Ose Local Government Area of the state to attend the burial ceremony of a parent of their member, when they were attacked.
A source, who craved anonymity, noted that the kidnapped choir members embarked on the journey from Akure in a branded vehicle belonging to the church.
It was also revealed that the abduction has left the families of those kidnapped and other church members in distress.
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However, the vehicle conveying them was later discovered abandoned on the roadside in the Elegbeka community.
The Owo-Ifon-Benin road where the abduction occurred has gained notoriety as a hotbed of criminal activities, including kidnappings and armed robberies due to its bad state.
About three years ago, the traditional ruler of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi who was then the Olufon of Ifon was shot and killed by gunmen in the same area.
He was said to be returning to his town from Akure, where he went for a meeting with other frontline traditional rulers in the state.
Oba Adeusi was later rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Owo, where he died as a result of gunshots he sustained during the attack.
Speaking on the abduction of the CAC members, the Ondo State Police Command has assured the public of its commitment to ensuring the safe return of the victims.
It said the police were informed that a church bus with the inscription CAC was abandoned around the Elegbeka area, and there are suspicions that the passengers in the vehicle were kidnapped.
“The police anti-kidnapping squad and other tactical teams have been deployed to the area to rescue the victims and arrest all involved in the crime,” the spokesperson said.