Epe kidnap: Family negotiates N1 million for each hostage •Residents want improved security

Families of the hostages of last week’s abduction at Igbonla area of Epe in Lagos State are appealing to the kidnappers to reduce the ransom to N6 million .

It was gathered on Sunday that the families of the kidnapped victims were negotiating to pay N1 million on each hostage.

A family source, who pleaded anonymity, while speaking with the Metro said “we (relatives of hostages) have agreed to negotiate the reduction of the money to N6 million.”

The family member added that “it is for each family to get N1 million. The fact is that we have not agreed on the N6 million but we are still expecting their source (kidnappers),” the family source added.

Also, some traditional rulers and residents of Eredo Local Council Development Area in Epe, Lagos State, have called on the state government to strengthen security in the community to combat criminal activities.

They made the appeal in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, on Sunday, following the kidnap of a vice principal, teacher and four students of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, near Epe, by unknown gunmen last Thursday.

Following the incident, armed policemen and other security agents have mounted patrols in the area.

The traditional ruler of the community, Oba Akeem Adesanya, told NAN that there was no sufficient security in the community.

He disclosed that: “The community depends on vigilante and neighbourhood watch, but they are not enough to combat such ugly occurrence.

“The security men in the community are not fully armed to confront the superior gadgets used by the hoodlums.

“There is, therefore, need for security to be beefed up in the area.”

Meanwhile, Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has assured that the state government in collaboration with security agencies, will soon rescue victims kidnapped from Lagos Senior and Junior Model College, Igbonla-Epe.

The governor gave the assurance on Sunday, just as he revealed that the government would also commence a review of its laws to curb and effectively punish perpetrators of kidnapping.

The governor, who spoke shortly after carrying out an extensive inspection of projects across the state, also issued a seven-day ultimatum for all illegal structures on the state waterfront to be demolished.

Speaking to journalists at the Illubirin Housing Scheme in Lagos Island, Ambode, who expressed worries over the erection of several shanties and structures within the premises and especially on the waterfront, said such would not be allowed in the state anymore.