Oyedepo claims he secured kidnapped pastor's release with 24-hour ultimatum to abductors
Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church recounted how he spoke with kidnappers to secure a pastor's release, sharing the account during a sermon captured in a viral video. According to Oyedepo, when abductors called demanding ransom for the clergy member, he took the phone and issued a 24-hour ultimatum: 'in 24 hours if you don't release him you are dead'. He stated that after this conversation, 'the place was vibrating' and the victim was freed immediately.
Oyedepo urged church members to give his phone number to kidnappers if abducted, saying 'If anybody picks you, give them my number. If he is not cut down, then I’m not sent. You carry the same force if you discover it'. He also recalled a separate incident where a female church member told abductors 'my father said I'm getting out of here latest by 7 am', claiming the kidnappers 'started cutting themselves' before releasing her.
While Oyedepo presents these events as demonstrations of spiritual authority, the claims include unverified supernatural elements and safety advice that could endanger individuals confronting criminal groups. Nigeria faces ongoing kidnapping crises with thousands abducted annually for ransom, making religious leaders' statements on the issue particularly influential. The account lacks verifiable details such as when/where the kidnappings occurred, victim identities, or law enforcement involvement, relying solely on Oyedepo's testimony as shared in his sermon.