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May 26, 2023
The police also said another pastor, John Moses and one other victim were rescued alongside the popular cleric on Friday morning.
Nigeria police have confirmed its operatives rescued the kidnapped popular television preacher and motivational speaker, Rev. Mike Ochigbo, in Yola, Adamawa State.
The police also said another pastor, John Moses and one other victim were rescued alongside the popular cleric on Friday morning.
Earlier today, Saharareporters broke the news of the preacher's release, saying the popular televangelist had been freed by his abductors.
Ochigbo regained freedom Friday morning after an alleged payment of a ransom of N10 million, according to one of the police officers tracking the whereabouts of the abductors.
The officer, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity, said, "We were tracking their whereabouts and the negotiation when suddenly we heard that N10 million was delivered to the criminals."
But the spokesperson for the state police command, SP Suleiman Nguroje, who confirmed the rescue of the cleric, however, denied knowledge of any ransom payment.
He said, "I doubt if they had taken delivery of the ransom because while the negotiation was ongoing, we discovered their hideout and engaged them in gunfire.
"But I encourage you to discretely investigate whether the family paid the ransom demand."
On how the victims were rescued, Nguroje said, "Further to the command's commitment to enhance proactive strategies, the command on 26/5/2023 disconnected a criminal network connecting part of Gujubabu, Bole, Yolde Pate and part of Yadim, in Yola South and Fufore local government areas.
"The operation, which was carried out by the command's operatives led by Commander Crack Squad in a joint operation with hunters of Tabbital Pulaku yielded positive results.
"The outcome of these successes follows up on collaborative strategy with hunters to dislodge criminal hideouts, designed by the command to rescue the kidnapped victims and apprehend the culprits.
"The suspected kidnappers upon sighting our men around the hideout engaged them in a gun duel, as a result, one of them was neutralized, while others escaped with bullet wounds.
"Interestingly one AK-47 rifle with twenty-five rounds of live ammunition was recovered and the victims were rescued unharmed.
"The Commissioner of Police, CP Afolabi Babatola, while expressing happiness, praised SP Dibal Husseni Tijjani, Commander Crack Squad, his men and hunters for the gallantry performance displayed, directs them to further give hot chase to those on the run and ensure they are denied the opportunity of re-grouping anywhere in the state."