Despite payment of N2 million ransom, kidnapped pastor found dead

A Lagos-based pastor, Fredrick Aramuwa, who was recently kidnapped in Ondo State has been found dead.

Mr Aramuwa was said to have been kidnapped on the Idoani-Ifira Road in Ifira Akoko community in the Akoko South-East Local Government Area of the state on March 31.

Sources familiar with the abduction told PREMIUM TIMES that the cleric’s abductors reached out to his family and demanded N10 million ransom.

“The kidnappers called the family and they requested for N10 million ransom. After forth and back, they agreed to take N2 million. Even though police already assured that they will rescue him, the family went ahead to pay the ransom.

“They wanted him back home safely, so they paid the N2 million the kidnappers requested. After the payment, they refused to release the pastor and on Sunday, the lifeless body of the pastor was discovered,” a source who did not want his name on print said.

This newspaper was unable to verify how the victim was killed. His corpse was found on the roadside.

In reaction to the incident, a community leader in Ifira Akoko, Boboye Ojomo, said the incident is a signal “to the government that the community is not safe and the poor condition of roads in the area has an effect on kidnappings and robberies in the area.”

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Confirming the killing, the Ondo State police spokesperson, Tee-Leo Ikoro, told PREMIUM TIMES that an investigation had commenced into the incident.

“The police had earlier been looking for the pastor before his corpse was found. His remains had been deposited in the morgue of the General Hospital, Ipe Akoko.”