Abducted market women regain freedom in Ondo

After six days in captivity, the market women kidnapped by gunmen along Akure /Owo road in Ondo State, have regained their freedom.

The victims who include, the Iyaoloja of Isua Akoko, Chief Mrs Hellen Edward, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Local Government employees (NULGE), Akoko Southeast and Director of Budget at the council were released on Monday night.

A family member who informed TribuneOnline that the victims were set free around Owo town in Owo Local Government Area of the state after parting with N5m as a ransom to buy their freedom.

He explained that the kidnappers had demanded N100m from the families of the victims as ransom some few hours after their abduction which was reduced to N11m but said the families of the victims contributed N5m to secure their release.

Speaking on their ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers, the Iyaloja of Isua Akoko, Chief Mrs Hellen Edward, explained that the kidnappers stopped the vehicles they were travelling with after barricading the road.

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According to her, they operated freely without hindrance and ordered them into the bush, saying all the victims were moved from one forest to another for five days.

She added that they were starved for five days while in the captivity of the abductors, saying the abductors never bothered about giving them food or water.

She said the kidnappers dumped all the victims on the road around Owo and called their families to come over to pick them.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Tee- Leo Ikoro, did not confirm the release of the market women, saying the victims or their families never reported their release to the police.

Meanwhile, drivers plying the axis of the road have appealed to the State Police Commissioner, Mr Bolaji Salami, to draft his men to the area, noting that armed bandits have taken over the road and operate on the road unhindered.