Travellers abducted on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway regain freedom after paying N7.5m ransom

By Akinwande Soji-Ojo

The four wedding guests abducted on Sunday by gunmen around the Isara Remo axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, in Ogun State, have regained their freedom.

It was gathered that their families paid N7.5 million for their release.

Recall that the gunmen who were reportedly dressed in military uniform, abducted seven wedding guests in the early hours of Sunday on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The victims were said to be returning from a wedding in Ibadan, Oyo State, when one of the vehicles conveying them to their destinations in Lagos State broke down on the road.

Efforts were said to be on to tow the faulty vehicle when kidnappers emerged from the bush and whisked away the seven victims. Three of them were later released to go and inform their families.

One of the released victims, Folahan Akinsola, told newsmen they were asked to raise N60 million to secure the release of the other four.

An appeal to raise the funds was initiated amid threats by the kidnappers to kill the travellers.

Akinsola,however, confirmed to The Punch that his friends were released on Tuesday after the payment of N7.5 million ransom.

He said: “We were unable to get the whole ransom they demanded, but we had to face them with what we gathered. We ended up paying N7.5 million and they were released around 1am today (Tuesday).

“I didn’t follow them to give the kidnappers the money at the location they chose because I was advised that my face was all over social media. After they got the money, they released my friends.

“We already got back to the Divisional Police Officer in Isara to brief him. We also collected our car; but the faulty Toyota Corolla is still there. A friend of mine told me that some people we don’t know are taking advantage of my friends’ situation to post some account numbers to get money.

“We were the ones who raised the money alongside the company my friends work for, among others.”