‘We sold 3 cars to pay ransom’– CAN chairman’s son speaks on father’s release

Miracle, son of Joseph Masin, Nasarawa state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), says the family sold three cars to raise the ransom for their father’s release.

Mason was kidnapped on May 28 when gunmen invaded his residence between 11 pm and 12 midnight, but he regained freedom after three days in the kidnappers’ den.

In an interview with the PUNCH, Miracle said the kidnappers demanded about N50 million, and apart from selling the three cars belonging to him, his wife and his father, they also got contributions from individuals.

“Millions of naira was paid but we are not ready to disclose it now. The pressure was so much but we thank God for everything. The negotiations began from the day he was kidnapped till he was released on Saturday, May 30 around 11.45pm. He got home on Sunday around 4am,” he said.

“My father didn’t even know where he was until he met some people, who were running away from him until one of them was bold to come close and ask him what happened. They later took him to a place where we met him in.

“For those days, my father couldn’t eat. They were bringing food but he couldn’t eat because he was not sure of what was in the food and he didn’t trust them.

“They released him along Eggon but the ransom was actually paid in Obi.”

Miracle added that the state government was not involved in the payment of ransom to secure his father’s freedom.