Chairman of the Lagos chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Stephen Adegbite has disclosed that a total of N100 million was paid as ransom to secure the release of Samuel Kanu, prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN) who was kidnapped on Sunday.
Gatekeepers News had reported that the Prelate was kidnapped alongside the Bishop of Methodist Church, Owerri Diocese, and the prelate’s chaplain along the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway in Umunneochi LGA of Abia state.
The clerics regained their freedom on Monday.
Adegbite, while speaking with journalists in Lagos, said members of the church rallied around to contribute the ransom.
Adegbite, who is also bishop of the diocese of Ikeja, MCN, said: “We did everything humanly possible, and God supported us. We appealed to good Methodist people and they gave us the money so that the prelate will not sleep in the bush for the second night,” he said.
“He had no medication with him. They didn’t allow him to eat anything for more than 12, 14 hours. He would have died in the forest. What are we going to say to the world? That we couldn’t pay the N100 million?
“He is going to retire very soon and that is why we were very passionate. We called on ministers, bishops and we started the donation.
“To the glory of God, the life of the prelate, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu-Uche, is bigger than N100 million.
“But that money we gave to them is the last one they will take because it is blood money, and God will descend on them and they will know that what they have done, they won’t do it anymore by the grace of God.”
