Gold miner, driver regain freedom in Osun after paying N20m ransom

A gold miner identified as Adepoju and his driver who were abducted penultimate Friday along Ilesha-Osogbo regained their freedom on Wednesday after the payment of N20 million ransom to their abductors.

Their abductors had earlier demanded N100 million from their family members before the ransom was negotiated to N20 million which was finally paid to secure thier freedom.

It will be recalled that the driver was conveying Adepoju in an excavator caterpillar to Osogbo from Ilesa when the incident happened.

After the incident, the suspected herdsmen who were responsible for the kidnapping act said to have put a call across to the families of their abductees to demand the ransom.

Speaking after their release, a family source who preferred anonymity stated that they had to go extra miles before they could find the money given to the abductors.

According to him, “Alhaji Adepoju, didn’t return home on Friday and this kept us worried. We waited till Friday night but didn’t hear from him. We called his phone number repeatedly but he wasn’t picking his calls.

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“It was on Saturday morning that we got a call from one of the kidnappers who asked us to bring the N100 million as ransom for his release. We became more worried because we don’t have that money. We have been praying ever since for his unconditional release.”

As at the time of filing in this report, the kidnapped victims have been reunited with their family members.

All efforts to get in touch with the state police command spokesperson, Mrs Yemisi Opalola to comment on the matter proved abortive as her number was not going through. But a top police officer who preferred anonymity, said he was aware of the case.