Police: We’re not aware ransom was paid for farmers’ release

By Precious Igbonwelundu

Lagos Police Commissioner (CP) Hakeem Odumosu has said the police was not aware the family of two farmers kidnapped last week paid N15m for their release.

Armed herdsmen were said to have stormed the farmland located at Shalabo Village in Imota Imota last Tuesday, and kidnapped the owner with his brother.

It was learnt that the gunmen entered the farm settlement gun blazing, causing commotion as people scampered to safety.

According to reports, the family reported the kidnapping and initial N10m ransom demanded at Imota Police Station in Ikorodu.

But the kidnappers increased the amount to N20m with threats to kill the hostages if their demands were not met.
The family was said to have also notified the police of the new development but were asked to cooperate with kidnappers to avoid endangering the lives of the victims.

Denying this claim, Odumosu told The Nation yesterday that the police deployed operatives and equipment as soon as a report was filed, adding that they were not carried along on issues pertaining to ransom.

“As soon as we got information about the kidnap, deployments were made in order to rescue them. We worked together with the family but at a point, the police were shut out. So, we do not know anything about ransom.

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“I confirm they have been released and reunited with their family. No arrest has been made yet but we are closing in on the criminals,” he said.

Narrating how the victims were released, a family member in an interview with TheCable said: “We had no choice than to run around for the money. We sold the farm in question, we sold our cars and our house and eventually raised N10 million but the kidnappers insisted that we must pay N20 million before our brothers can be released.

“So, we went to borrow from friends, colleagues and family members and after much pleas, the kidnappers agreed to collect N15 million which was paid on Friday before the victims regained their freedom.

“They told my sister the particular bus stop to alight from and thereafter told her to jump on a commercial motorcycle. After about some minutes into the forest, they told her on the phone to come down and start trekking for another 400km where a man suddenly came out to meet her.

“The said man confirmed the money and then ordered that the victims should be brought out, and that was how they regained freedom.”