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| Aivoji Phillip |
The Badagry International Film, Cultural, and Sports Festival (BIFIF) pleaded for calm and prayer for the safe rescue of its illustrious son, Philips Aivoji.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Aivoji, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) Lagos State Chapter, was among several other party leaders kidnapped by gunmen on Thursday near the Ogere area on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The chairman and several other PDP leaders were kidnapped on their way back from the party's Stakeholders' Zonal Caucus Meeting in Ibadan, which was convened by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
In a statement issued in Lagos, Viyon Awhanse, the Founder and CEO of BIFIF, stated that the elderly man needed prayer and support from the people of Badagry in order to be released safely.
According to Awhanse, now is the time its illustrious son and Lagos PDP chairman needs the people's prayers and solidarity.
"We don't need to exchange words right now, but we need to pray in churches, mosques, and traditionally so that the security agencies who have been tracking down the abductors will be successful in releasing our son safely.
"The abduction of our father should not be taken lightly.
"I am using this opportunity to appeal to all Gunuvi’s all over the world and friends of Badagry to continue in their prayers.
“Aivoji is a pillar in Badagry. Baba is old and fragile; the Nigeria Police and others should do everything possible to bring him back home,” he said.
Awhanse urged the police and other security agencies to step up their efforts to secure the safe release of the PDP chairman and others.
He praised the police for rescuing nine people involved in the kidnap incident on Friday.
"But our father is still with them; please continue until he is freed from the abductors," the BIFIF founder stated.
According to NAN, Omolola Odutola, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Ogun State Police Command, confirmed on Saturday that nine people involved in the Aivoji kidnapping incident had been rescued.