A pastor, Adetokunbo Adenopo, 52 has confessed on camera why he decided to become a kidnapper.
While confessing on tape after being arrested by the police,
Adenopo said he wanted money to expand his church. That was the reason
behind him engaging in kidnapping.
He also added that he wanted to use money he got from kidnapping to do works of charity.
The pastor also shared details how he kidnapped a dispatch rider.
We had earlier reported that Police Operatives of the Nigeria
Police Force (NPF) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) had arrested a
52-year-old pastor Adetokunbo Adenokpo for allegedly abducting a
dispatch rider, Jonathan Ekpo, and detaining him in an underground
facility in his church in Shagamu.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba, paraded
Adenokpo, last month, alongside 34 other suspects for other crimes at
the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Headquarters.
He said the dispatch rider with Glory Master Logistics distributes
Forever Living products and was abducted by Adenokpo, who is the General
Overseer of New Life Church of God located at Lukosi, in Shagamu Area
of Ogun state and his gang when he went to deliver some items at his
church.
According to Mba, “Notable among the arrests is a criminally
minded pastor Adetokumbo Adenopo, 52, Founder and General Overseer of
New Life Ministry, Lukosi, in Shagamu Area of Ogun state and three other
members of his criminal gang namely: Chigozie Williams, 22, a native of
Umuahia North, Abia state; Ugoji Linus, 30, a native of Ezinifite in
Imo state; and Emmanuel Chris Ani, 27, a native of Aniri in Enugu state;
all responsible for the kidnap for ransom of one Jonathan Ekpo, 35,
from Benue state.
“Curiously, the pastor told Police operatives that he embarked on the crime for the expansion of his church and charity works.
“The victim, an employee of a logistic company was kidnapped on
July 17, 2020, while on official duty to deliver goods in Shagamu, Ogun
state.
“The victim was kept in an underground cabin inside the
Pastor’s church building in Ogijo Town, Ogun state, by his abductors who
demanded the payment of twenty million naira ransom as condition for
his release.”
The spokesperson said the victim was subsequently rescued, unhurt, nine days after and reunited with his family by the Police.
Fielding questions from journalists, the pastor claimed he was 22 years in the ministry having being ordained in Ibadan, stated:
“In my church we do charity, where I share food and palliative to
people and this became stronger during the COVID-19. I felt pity for
people and I don’t have any money in my account and people still come to
me for help.”
He said the underground facility where he detained Jonathan was
built when he was attacked by some persons sometime ago and it was for
him to escape into whenever the church was under attack.
“A few weeks ago we were short of funds. So I had the idea of
doing something for Ileya (charity) so I can get some bags of rice and
beans and palm oil and other things to share, and probably with a ram,
which we can cut and give to poor people and we thought we should get
money from the rich companies and then raise money and use it to take
care of poor people.
“The three of us were involved in the kidnap of Jonathan with
the hope of raising funds for the Ileya. I injected him because he was
struggling I did not want him to be injured,” the pastor further stated.
Similarly, the Police also arrested one Udodiri Bright aka Ability,
30, a native of Osuachara Village, Isiala Mbano LGA of Imo state, and
three others, Ekwuru Shadrack aka Escobar, 26, a native of Arondizuogu
Village in Okigwe LGA of Imo state; Chimerie Igwe aka 4real, 30, a
native of Umucheke Village in Orlu LGA of Imo state; and Chibuike
Sunday, 28, old from Arondizuogu of Imo state.
The Spokesperson said they were arrested on July 5, 2020, for
abducting and killing a Nigerian US Soldier, Chuks Okebata, who was in
Nigeria on holidays in his home town, Okigwe, in 2017.
“The suspects, who are one of the foremost kidnapping groups
terrorising the South eastern part of the country were arrested 31
months after, following intensive manhunt by the Police team,” Mba stated
He said, “The Police team also arrested a 9-man trans-boundary
armed robbery and car snatching syndicate led by one Yakubu Hayatu, 30,
from Borno state; alongside members of his gang: Adamu Awalu, 28, from
Kano state; Abdulrahman Yakubu, 23, from Zaria; and Yususf Adamu, 22,
from Zaria.
“Others are: Kamal Japhet, 22 from Katsina; Abubakar Samaila,
20, from Zaria; Muhammadu Abdulahi, 20, from Zaria; Yahaya Mohammed, 18,
from Kaduna state; and Ibrahim Abubakar, 21, from Kwara.
“Investigations reveal that the syndicate has snatched over
thirty exotic cars at gun point and killed two Policemen. They use
anti-tracker devices to evade arrest and deliver the vehicles to one
Alhaji Garba in Maradi, Niger Republic. Eighteen vehicles have so far
been recovered by the Police team. The team is working with the INTERPOL
to apprehend Alhaji Garba and to recover the remaining vehicles.”
He said exhibits recovered from the suspects include: four Ak47
rifles; one FMC rifle; one pump action gun; two double barrel guns; one
beretta pistol; four AK47 magazine; six cartridges; 378 rounds of live
ammunition; one Network Jammer (anti-tracker device), among others.
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