…We have commence investigation, says Police

By Jacob Akintunde, Akure

The Ondo state police command said it has commenced investigation into the kidnapping of a year old baby boy, Gold Kolawole inside a popular church (Sotitobire Miracle Centre) located at Osinle in Akure, the state capital.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, mother of the boy, Mrs Modupe Kolawole who is a member of the Church, said her child got missing three days ago, during Sunday service at the church saying that the incident had been reported at the police stations in Akure.

According to her, despite reporting the kidnapping to the church authorities and B’division police station, Oke Aro as well as Anti-kidnapping office at Alagbaka in Akure, nobody had been arrested by the police since Sunday.

Mrs Kolawole accused the founder of the church, Prophet Alfa Babatunde of masterminding the kidnapping of her son, wondered how a child at the children’s section of the church would be missing without any action from the church’s leadership.

She said, “As am talking to you now, Alfa Babatunde, Sotitobire has not called me or call my husband to know whether we have gotten my child and nothing has been done to get my child back. I want my child if I see my child I will end the case. I am begging everyone to help me find my child”.

She had also reported the Prophet at the Deji of Akure Palace on Tuesday, called on Nigerians to prevail on the Sotitobire founder to release her son from where he is allegedly keeping the baby.

While reacting to the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Femi Joseph who confirmed the incident, said the command had begun investigation into the matter, while he assured that detectives from the state command would rescue the toddler alive

Joseph explained that there was no formal report of the incident from any quarters, based on the understanding between the parents of the abducted boy and the church leadership.

The PPRO said the Church leaders however reported the incident the following day (on Monday) when the father of the missing boy, Temitope Kolawole, allegedly mobilised some thugs to the church and destroyed the church’s property.

Joseph said the church leadership also alleged that the thugs were about setting the church ablaze when policemen were mobilised to the scene yesterday.

The police spokesman appealed to some of the aggrieved relatives of the victim who invaded the church not to take law into their hands, urging them to allow the security agents to carry out their investigation.

Joseph said “the boy will surely be rescued but I want to appeal to the parents of the missing boy and their relatives not to take law into their hands.”

As at the time filing this report, all efforts to get the reaction of Prophet Babatunde proved unsuccessful as calls and SMS to his phone line were not responded to.

The clergyman who was summoned to the Deji’s palace on Tuesday afternoon, was also prevented from speaking with journalists by security men attached with him.