Kidnappers kill abducted priest in an incompetent rescue operation

Suspected kidnappers have killed the chaplain to the Bishop of the African Church , Ondo Central Diocese , Revd. David Ayeola .
The gunmen shot Ayeola dead in a botched rescue operation after the church declined to pay the N100m ransom the kidnappers demanded .

The African Church had offered N500, 000 instead .
PUNCH Metro learnt that the remains of the victim had been deposited in a morgue .
Our correspondent gathered that Ayeola , the bishop , Samuel Ojo; and the bishop ’ s wife were travelling to Abeokuta, Ogun State , from Imojo Ekiti , Ekiti State , when they were waylaid by the gunmen on the road .
The bishop, his wife, Ayeola , and the driver of the car were said to have fled into the bush .
A source said , “While others escaped , the chaplain was caught and abducted by the gunmen .
“ They later contacted the headquarters of the church at Akure and demanded N100m . The church , however , offered them N500, 000, which they turned down . ”
Another top leader of the African Church said the church ’ s leadership involved the Ekiti State Police Command in the rescue of the priest .
He explained that while trying to buy time with negotiation , the police also closed in on the hideout of the abductors .
“ On Saturday , the police swooped on the hideout of the kidnappers and there was an exchange of gunfire between them .
“ The police team was overpowered and the kidnappers decided to shoot the priest . He was shot in the side; they (kidnappers ) left his corpse behind . The family has taken the body to the morgue , ” he added.
When contacted , the Diocesan Public Relations Officer , Alex Akande , said he could not talk about the incident , adding that the church ’ s leadership would meet on Monday ( today ).
He said , “ The case is with the police. I don ’ t want to divulge too much information because I need to get clearance from the church ’ s headquarters. We will be having a meeting tomorrow (Monday ); maybe I can talk after that . ”
PUNCH Metro learnt that Ayeola was not married and he had only recently finished from the seminary .
A check on his Facebook page showed that although he rarely used social media , he sometime waxed philosophical .
“ People may say many things about you , but what you say about yourself matters most . I know I shall accomplish the purpose of God for my life in the land of the living in Jesus Name . Do have a happy night rest friends , ” his last post read .
The Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer , Adeyemi Ademola , confirmed the death.
He said , “ Yesterday evening (Saturday), we received intelligence about where the reverend was being kept by the kidnappers . The police and some hunters went to rescue him . We discovered that the place was a very thick forest .
“When the kidnappers noticed that the police and the hunters were coming , they shot the reverend and escaped .
“ We went after them for a while , but the team had to turn back when it was getting dark . This was to avoid endangering the lives of members of the team in a terrain that the kidnappers may be more familiar with . We took the reverend to a general hospital , but sadly , we lost him . ”