Kidnap: Ondo monarch wife regains freedom after 4 days

AFTER spending about four days in captivity, the wife of the traditional ruler of Alauga Akoko, in the Akoko North East area of Ondo state, Olori Olukemi Agunloye and her driver, on Wednesday night,  regained freedom.

Olori Agunloye who was abducted with the driver was said to be released after payment of N1m ransom to their abductors.

According to a source, who explained that the people of the community rallied round the traditional ruler, Oba Samuel Agunloye, to raise the sum of N1m which was subsequently sent to to the kidnappers to ensure the release of the victims.

He explained that the arrangement was made without the knowledge of the security operatives in the state, saying the kidnappers threatened to kill the duo if the community involves the police.

He said the kidnappers initially demanded for the sum of N20m as ransom for the release of the captives but eventually reduced the ransom to N1m after much persuasion.

He said the monarch specifically pleaded with the kidnappers and made them to understand that there was no way he could raise the N20m ransom because he is a peasant farmer.

The source confirmed that they were released at about 9 pm along lsua road, in Akoko axis by their captors and were moved to a hospital.

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The source, however, said, “the leader of the kidnappers called Oba Agunloye on Wednesday night to pick his wife and the driver along Isua road.

“They were found along the road and we brought them home. They looked tired and sick and we moved them to a hospital for medical treatment.”

He informed Tribune Online that the two released captives have been taken to a hospital saying they have been admitted at the hospital since Wednesday night.

The state police image maker, Femi Joseph, confirmed that the release of the two victims saying the victims had reunited with their families.

Joseph said no arrest had, however, been made so far.

He, however, said that the release of the two victims will not stop the command from investigating the crime saying the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to book.

He assured that the kidnappers would soon be apprehended, while he called on members of the public to provide useful information on how to start the criminals.

It will be recalled that gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Sunday abducted the wife of the traditional ruler of Auga Akoko in Olori Olukemi Agunloye and her driver

The monarch wife was kidnapped along with her driver on their way to Ugbe Akoko for a function