Ololade Adeyanju/
Kidnappers have demanded N20 million ransom for two sisters, who were among an unspecified number of travellers kidnapped by suspected Fulani bandits on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Friday.
Another victim has been identified as Prof Akanji Agbaje, an Ex-UI Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, for whom the kidnappers have demanded a N50 million ransom.
Agbaje was returning to Ibadan from the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, when he reportedly ran into the kidnappers.
Twenty-five-year-old final year student of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ogun State, Oluwatobiloba Orekoya, and her sister, Aminat, a graduate awaiting NYSC call-up, were reportedly on their way to Ibadan from Abeokuta to attend a party when they were waylaid and abducted alongside other passengers of a commuter bus.
The victims’ 28-year-old elder sister, Oluwaseyi Ashoba, who spoke with The PUNCH, said the kidnappers had already contacted the family to demand for ransom.
She said the kidnappers, who spoke only Fulfude, called Aminat’s boyfriend same day they were kidnapped and also spoke with their 50-year-old mother, Funke Orekoya, later same day.
According to her, when they eventually managed to speak with her sisters, they informed them that the kidnappers had already butchered some of their fellow captives.
Speaking on the sequence of events that led to her sisters’ abduction, she stated, “My brother called me yesterday (Friday) to tell me that my sisters had been kidnapped. I didn’t believe it, because it was not even up to two hours after I heard from them. How were they kidnapped just like that? I said it was not possible. I convinced myself. I had to call my brother and he told me that it was true.
“The Fulani kidnappers called Aminat’s boyfriend with Aminat’s phone and told us that they had kidnapped Aminat and her sister, Tobi, and that we should get ready for them to call us again. That was what made us know that they were indeed kidnapped. As of this morning, my mum spoke to them in their language – because my mum understands Fulfude, having stayed in the North – and they (kidnappers) told us to bring N10m for each of them. So, for the two of them, we are to bring N20m.
“My mum kept begging them to release her children because the family did not have anything to give them. They simply laughed and told her to go and get the money or else they would kill the girls as they had done to many others. They told her to get off the phone and go get them that N20m, and that she should make it quick. She said she can afford N1m; they laughed and told her to go and gather money, insisting they must collect N20m from the family.
“The second time we called, they allowed us to speak to them for a minute. They were crying, shouting and begging us to do whatever we could to get them out of the kidnappers’ den. They said we should sell whatever we could and pay the kidnappers. Aminat said they had killed some people beside them and the killing was still on. She said if the kidnappers call the family of the captives and they are not being reasonable, they will just butcher them. It is not a joke at all. It sent chills down my spine. They had hardly finished talking when the kidnappers dragged the phone off their hands and told us to get that money.
“When we heard N20m, I think my mum even almost passed out. I am not sure any of us has counted such an amount of money in our lives. My mum is a trader. My dad is not really doing much. He is a land agent. As I speak to you now, there is no hope. All we have been able to raise is N250,000. We don’t have any land to sell; we would have sold it. We have sold all our furniture and everything else we can sell to raise that money. It is painful.
“My dad reported to the Mowe Police Station, and they said they were on top of it. They said they had tracked the kidnappers to Ogere. I wouldn’t like to give further details for security reasons. I am so scared of even going back to Abeokuta because I pass through the expressway all the time.”
0