Families of worshippers abducted from a Celestial Church in Uso community, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, have rejected claims by the police that suspects have been arrested and one of the victims rescued.
Addressing journalists on Saturday, the families described the police statement as “misleading and untrue,” maintaining that all the abducted worshippers remain in the custody of their captors four days after the incident.
The reaction follows an earlier announcement by the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, who stated that 11 suspects had been arrested in connection with the abduction and that one of the victims had been rescued.
However, the families said there was no evidence to support the claim, stressing that they had not been contacted by the police regarding any rescue or arrest linked to the incident.
“We are surprised to hear that arrests have been made and that one victim has been rescued,” a family spokesperson said.
“As of today, none of the abducted worshippers has returned home, and none of us has been shown or informed of any suspect arrested in connection with this crime.”
The families said they remain in constant distress and lamented the lack of any official briefing from security agencies on concrete progress made so far.
They called on the police to concentrate on actionable rescue efforts rather than issuing statements that, according to them, do not reflect the situation on the ground.
The families also appealed to the state and federal governments to intensify security operations in the area and ensure the safe and unconditional release of the victims.
Furthermore, they urged the police to maintain transparency in their communication, warning that conflicting information could heighten public anxiety and erode trust in security agencies.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ondo State Police Command had yet to respond to the families’ claims disputing the earlier statement.
