Story from Kenneth AFOR, Lagos
Kidnappers of Benjamin Oso, the Eleda of Eda Ile in Ekiti East council area of Ekiti State, have demanded the sum of N20 million ransom for his release.
Oso was abducted by unknown gunmen on his farm at Eda-Ile on Friday.
Reports say that his wife who was with him at the time of his abduction was spared after the monarch begged the abductors.
But a family source said that the abductors have reached out and are demanding N20 million naira ransom.
“Their demand is on the high side, but when the family attempted to negotiate it downwards, they (abductors) switched off their phone. The entire community is troubled over the development,” the source said.
However, Sunday Abutu, police command spokesperson, said the command is not aware of the ransom demand.
“The police are working with other locals to ensure his freedom and apprehension of the perpetrators. We are concerned about kidnapping incidents, that is why our operatives are working round the clock to ensure they do not occur and when they occur, efforts will be activated to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” he stated.
Ekiti and other states in Southwestern Nigeria, the southeast, and some parts of the North are not spared from the security crisis bedevilling the country which the government has emphatically stated that it is committed to restoring sanity to the various hotspots.
