Freed Methodist prelate contradicts police, confirms N100m ransom payment

Freed prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Samuel Uche  has contradicted police claim on his release from kidnappers’ captivity.

The police had claimed their effort paid off with Uche and other’s release on Tuesday – 24 hours after their kidnap in Abia state.

Geoffery Ogbonna, the spokesperson for Abia police command, pointedly said the captors decided to set the clergymen free, due to “efforts of men and officers of tactical units of the Command and other sister security agencies to nab the perpetrators.”

However, Uche’s press conference in Lagos clearly showed the police statement was mere publicity stunt.

The clergymen confirmed to journalists that the Methodist Church of Nigeria indeed paid N100million ransom to buy their freedom.

He said his church arranged the ransom in five sacks of N20 million.

He also claimed that neither the Federal or State Government nor the military/ police intervened.

Uche and two others were kidnapped on Sunday in Abia State.