The message reads, “They have kidnapped me, I begged them, and they gave me only one favour to send this message to my wife.
Pastor Dan Osato Osamwonyi, the Regional Overseer Mountain Of Fire And Miracles Ministries (MFM), Midwest Region 66, Benin City, who was abducted on May 25, 2021, is still missing ten months after, the family expresses concern.
Osamwonyi was abducted on May 25, 2021, on his way to attend to a private issue. He was intercepted by some gunmen, who whisked him away from his Nissan SUV, into a getaway car and has since remained incommunicado.
The Edo Police Command that claimed to have been on the trail of the abducted cleric, has not made any headway either, though, a suspect believed to have been connected to the crime was arrested.
It was further gathered that Osamwonyi’s abductors trailed him to the spot where he was kidnapped on Sapele Road. His SUV was abandoned at the crime scene.
Men of the Etete GRA, Benin Police Division, later recovered the victim’s vehicle, and the matter was then officially booked at the police station, where investigation commenced.
SaharaReporters gathered that a few hours after the pastor was kidnapped, he sent a disturbing message to his wife at about 1:43 pm on WhatsApp.
The message reads, “They have kidnapped me, I begged them, and they gave me only one favour to send this message to my wife.
“They said they are hired killers sent by Mr Robert Ukpong, our former men’s leader, to kill me.
“They have a gun, but they will use a razor blade to kill me and drop me inside the bush.
“They put my car along with Sapele Road near-total Filling Station.
“Goodbye forever. God bless you for all you suffered for me in Jesus name. God will bless my children in Jesus name.”
Another message the victim sent to his wife reads, “Do not do any burial for me if you cannot find my body. Tell Pastor Felix Otsasowie I am sorry.”
However, following the delivery of the messages, the case was transferred from New Etete to the Office of the Anti-kidnapping and Cybercrime Unit of the Edo State Command for further investigation.
The police arrested the alleged contractor, Mr Robert Ukpong and charged him for kidnapping.
The situation has compelled members of his family and the church to throng the Edo Police Command Headquarters on a daily basis, appealing to the Command to help to rescue their benefactor unhurt.
"The case was first reported at the Etete police station Benin city, which later transferred the case to the Nigeria Police Headquarters (State CID Benin City) after arresting the suspect (Mr Robert Ukpong).
"We also reached out to the DSS Zonal Head Office, Benin City, both authorities promised to help get our father back.
“Not only was the suspect released after 28 days (I doubt if any investigation was done), the case was charged to court and two sittings were held without our family’s knowledge, after which the case was struck off and the suspect discharged and acquitted in Benin High Court," a family source noted.