UPDATED: Nasarawa State CAN Chairman Regains Freedom, Family Members Speak

The Nasarawa State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the General Overseer, Word of God Worldwide Gospel City, Arch Bishop Joseph Masin who was kidnapped on Thursday last week (May 28, 2020) has regained his freedom.

In a text message to pressmen, one of the sons to Arch Bishop Masin, Pastor Sam Joseph said his father was released the late hours of Saturday (May 30, 2020).

He also said that Arch Bishop Masin arrived home at 1:48am this morning (Sunday May 31, 2020) and was reunited with the family.

The mood at the family house this morning when our reporter visited was that of jubilation. Friends and well-wishers were seen trooping in to rejoice and family members were only too eager to tell them ‘Baba has returned! Glory to God!’

When our reporter spoke with Mrs Agnes Dada, one of Arch Bishop Masin’s younger sisters, she said the entire family has been in a state of exultation since they heard that the Bishop had been released.

She said: “When he arrived we sang and danced. He rested and came out and blessed us and left us still singing and dancing here. We know he needs his rest. We are happy.

“While he was away the atmosphere was bitter. We did not even feel like eating. People will come here and join us in prayer. All of us in the house were always doing night vigil. Prayer was the only thing we could do. We cried. Everybody in this house cried. Everyday we cried morning and evening. “But yesterday evening we received a call that he was sighted. He was dropped at Lizzin Keffi. Unfortunately the people there did not even know who is the CAN Chairman. But when they realized who he was, they were happy and they wanted him to sleep there. But the people who went to pick him said the people here (in Lafia) are crying that they also want to see him. Thank God.”

Our reporter also spoke with Mr Emmanuel Masin, younger brother to Arch Bishop Masin who was part of the team that went to pick him from Lizzin Keffi.

He narrated what happened as follows: “Actually, some Fulani guys – as we were told – came and picked him up. They trekked all along the long distance.

“The only thing we did was that we were crying because the ransom they were requesting for was so much. They said 20 million, then they said 40 million. They were increasing it every day. So, we had no option than to cry because we had no money. All our assets we put it in the market, yet there was no buyer because the money was so much.

“We also thank God for the pressure of the security in the town. In fact, when I went to the village to pick him, we received a call that they dropped him on the way and people were running away. He is somebody they don’t know. They have never seen him before so they called us. We called on the Commissioner of Police and I was happy to see that even in that area, there was security everywhere.

“So, it is because of the pressure of the security that they decided to drop him. Because the last time we spoke with them, they inflated the ransom again to 50 million. We decided that our hope is on God.

“We now got a call that they saw him on the roadside around that Lizzin Keffi area. So we requested for help from the Commissioner of Police then he released an escort to go with us. We went there to pick him and we arrived this morning.

“That Lizzin Keffi area is a very thick forest. He told me that they don’t see sun, the place is a complete forest. That he has never gone to that area. When they dropped him, he asked because he did not know where he is. When he asked they told him that it was Lizzin Keffi. We went right there that night to pick him.

“The people who found him took him to the Aren Lizzin Keffi’s palace. When we got there they women gathered and were singing, dancing when they discovered who he was.”

“I asked him personally and he told me throughout they were trekking. Sometimes they will harass him, sometimes they will talk to him anyhow, sometimes they will tend to beat him. And they kept him on mud. It was a thick forest, there was no sun, it was all cold. He was sleeping on gravels – you know that area is a rocky area.

“He is tired, he is stressed up. He has gone to receive medical attention at an undisclosed location.”

Mr. Emmanuel Masin also revealed to our reporter that the family had to part with about 3 million naira to the kidnappers.

As at the time of filing this report, Arch Bishop Joseph Masin was at an undisclosed location receiving medical attention. He is in company of his wife and some other close family members.

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