Kidnappers demand N20 million ransom for abducted WAEC official

Damilare Famuyiwa 09:40 - 24 December 2019

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The victim's boss offered to raise N1.2 million, but was rebuffed by the suspected kidnappers who insisted that the N20 million ransom must be paid.

Some yet-to-be-identified gunmen who kidnapped an official of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Gbenga Adebayo, have demanded N20 million ransom from their victim's relatives.

According to a relative of the WAEC official who made the disclosure of the ransom demanded, the suspects reached out to Adebayo’s boss in Akure area of Ondo, and threatened to kill their victim if the ransom was not paid.

Ondo PPRO, Femi Joseph vowed that the police would do everything possible to ensure that the victims were released unhurt. [Punch]

Adebayo’s boss was said to have pleaded for time to raise N1.2 million for his release, but he was rebuffed by the kidnappers, who insisted that the money should not be less than the sum they demanded.

Punch reports that Adebayo was kidnapped at Oba Akoko on the Owo-Ikare Road in the Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state.

An eyewitness who recounted how Adebayo was abducted, stated that the victim was in his car with his son, who is a student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko and another friend, when the incident happened.

“The gunmen stopped him (Adebayo) and other motorists on the road, but his friend and his son were able to escape by running into the bush,” the eyewitness added.

The eyewitness added that the gunmen forced Adebayo and three others into another vehicle and headed for an unknown destination.

Femi Joseph, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ondo, has however confirmed the incident, saying the state police command has begun investigations into the incident.