Some kidnappers have contacted the family of their abductee, Ibrahim Oricha, for a ransom after abducting him and 22 other occupants a week ago at their house in Dei Dei town, Bwari Area of the Federal Capital Territory.
Freelanews learnt that the kidnappers demanded a sum of N5m from Ibrahim’s family so they could release him from their den, otherwise, they would eliminate him in line with their tradition.
Speaking with our correspondent on Monday, a woman, Rashidat Oricha, who identified to be the victim’s sister, said she was tired of the whole situation because they are orphans and have no support system to raise the ransom.
“At first, they requested N40m. I begged and told them that we had nothing and that we were orphans. So, they said we should bring N5m. My brother just concluded his National Youth Service Corps programme recently, so he is unemployed.
“I am stressed and tired. I do not know what to do. We are still soliciting funds and I have not got much, even though people have promised, we have not seen anything,” she said.
When Freelanews contacted the FCT Police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, she confirmed the incident took place but avoided the question asked by our correspondent on the progress of investigation by the police command.
“In response to the concern of kidnapping incidents in the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Police Command, while declaring an unwavering commitment to fortifying security measures, has deployed rigorous strategies to prevent any attempt at kidnapping before, during, and after the Yuletide seasons.
“While your safety remains our priority, we remain steadfast in our commitment to avert any potential threats and maintain the peace and security of the Federal Capital Territory.
“To bolster these efforts, residents are expected to exhibit unwavering cooperation with the law enforcement agencies, acting patriotically to enhance overall security,” Adeh concluded.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
