Fourteen Abuja-bound travellers who were kidnapped last Friday in Kogi State have regained their freedom.
The victims who were travelling in two buses belonging to God Is Good Motors and ABC Transport were kidnapped at Inyenle, Ogugu in the Olamaboro Local Government Area of the state.
It was reported that the driver of the GIG vehicle was rescued the same day while others were marched into the bush
It was also gathered that the Kogi State Police Command disclosed it had launched a spirited manhunt for the kidnappers.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent William Aya, said the Area Commander who led his team to the area saw the two buses but did not see the occupants and therefore could not ascertain the number of people on the two buses.
The Kogi State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Aya, confirmed the release of the travellers on Thursday.
Aya could not say if a ransom was paid to ensure their release, but the husband of one of the travellers was said to have disclosed that the kidnappers demanded the sum of N15 million ransom on each of the travellers to secure their release.
“I can confirm that all the kidnapped victims of God Is Good Motors and ABC Transport have regained their freedom. Although whether or not a ransom was paid was not mentioned”, Aya said.
On Monday, 29 January, gunmen killed two Ekiti monarchs-the Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, while the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, narrowly escaped.
The traditional rulers were returning from a security meeting in Kogi State when their vehicles ran into the suspected kidnappers who were operating on the highway between Ipao and Oke Ako in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
On the same day, five pupils of Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure Ekiti, and four staff members were abducted by gunmen. The incident occurred when the school bus conveying 25 pupils home after school hours was waylaid by the gunmen in the Emure community in Ekiti State. They regained freedom in the early hours of Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Inspector–General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Thursday, 8 February, assured Nigerians that police officers were working round the clock to curb the menace of kidnapping, killings, and other criminal activities in the country.
Egbetokun gave the assurance at a conference with strategic police managers held at the Goodluck Jonathan International Peacekeeping Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
