One of the three pastors kidnapped by gunmen insisted on Sunday that the police did not play any vital role in their release.
The immediate past President of the HEKAN church, Rev. Emmanuel Dziggau, said the abductors were paid a ransom of N4m before they regained their freedom.
The ransom, he said, was not paid by the government.
He, however, did not mention who paid the ransom.
Dziggau was kidnapped on March 21, 2016, along with Rev. Yakubu Dzarma and late Rev. Iliya Anthony, who died in the kidnappers’ den.
Dziggau spoke shortly after his retirement service at the HEKAN church in Kaduna on Sunday.
He said, “For the nine days we spent, it was like hell for us. No basic daily needs. We slept on the ground on top of leaves; no good drinking water. I took my bath twice in the nine days.
“The kidnappers initially demanded N150m ransom to free the three of us, but N4m was eventually paid before we were released.
“I was forced to walk bare footed; they removed our shirts and gave us tiny Fulani shirts to wear. The one I was given was so small that it hardly reached my waist.
“We trekked throughout the night, crossing gutters and swampy areas. We were allowed to rest only briefly at intervals.
“There were about 15 heavily armed men with three guarding each of us; they threatened to kill us if the ransom was not paid.”
The cleric said one of the kidnappers asked them to forgive them, adding that circumstances forced them into the criminal act.
“He blamed the present administration for their woes, saying people had been stealing their cows and they were left with nothing. He said that was why they became kidnappers,” he added.
Source: Punch
