Abducted victims regain freedom on payment of N31m ransom

By Tayo ABIOLA

The three men abducted at Longe village in Oyo State on the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road, on Sunday, have regained their freedom after the payment of N31 million ransom.

The victims — Emmanuel Olalere, Gbenga Idowu and Segun Afolabi —were released at about 8:00p.m. on Tuesday.

While Olalere was made to pay N20 million, Afolabi paid N10 million and Idowu, the oldest among the three men, paid N1 million.

The kidnappers reportedly insisted on collecting N20 million from Olalere on seeing an alert of the amount paid into his account on his phone.

Olalere, a farmer in Ogun State, was said to have been sent the money by a produce buyer who wanted him to help in the purchase of cocoa seeds.

Angry at the earlier claim of being a poor farmer, the kidnappers reportedly descended on him, beating him with logs from teak trees.

The three victims were said to have been tightly blindfolded, causing severe pains to their eyes, while they were kept without food and water for the two nights they spent with their abductors.

After their release, Olalere and Idowu were reportedly taken home to be cared for by family members, while Afolabi was taken to a hospital for medical treatment because of his physical condition.

Though it was learnt that the kidnappers tortured all the victims, Afolabi was worst hit, as the captors were angry, he claimed to be a poor farmer.

The victims, who are Ibadan-born but based in Ogun State as farmers, were on their way to the Oyo State capital when seven armed men, led by one clad in black dress with a mask covering his face and muffler woven round his head and neck, emerged from the bush on the day of their abduction.

The leader, bearing AK-47 rifle, was said to have shot into the air to warn the driver and occupants that he and his gang meant business.

Two other members of the gang also had AK-47 rifles while others held cutlasses and daggers.

Though Olalere, who drove attempted to reverse the car, it was said that another gun- shot sounded at the back.

On looking backward, he reportedly saw the AK-47 rifle-bearing ones and others who had stationed themselves behind him, forcing him to stop to avoid being killed.