Two days after Edo State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Emmanuel Agbale was kidnapped by daredevil bandits, his abductors are yet to let go of their victim until a mouth-watering ransom of N10 million is paid.
Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lawal Jimeta who denied knowledge of the ransom demand however confirmed that the hoodlums did have a mobile phone conversation with the panic-stricken family members.
Agbale was reportedly kidnapped on Friday evening, by the armed gang, along the Benin/Auchi road at Okhuo River just by Heartland Palm Plantation, as he journeyed to Ekpoma.
While the commissioner’s driver escaped unhurt, Jimeta said that the police orderly was gunned down by the kidnappers during the operation.
A close source said that negotiations were already on between the kidnappers and the family members, adding that they initially demanded N20 million ransom before letting go of Agbale but that the money has been slashed to N10 million.
He added: “The kidnappers have held several telephone conversations with the family members and made their demand known. From an initial demand of N20 million, they reduced it was to N10 which they insisted must be paid before releasing him.”
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The Edo Police boss who spoke yesterday in Benin was, however silent as to whether the kidnappers were Fulani herdsmen or not but maintained that his men were hot on the trail of the kidnappers and have been combing the forest around the scene in a determined bid to release the commissioner.
He assured that the police will do everything possible to ensure that he is released unhurt and the kidnappers brought to the book.
He said: “The Commissioner was kidnapped on Friday evening along Benin-Auchi road. His police orderly was killed by the gunmen. Right now, my men are everywhere, combing the bush to rescue him. By God’s Grace, we will rescue him alive. We are closing in on them. We will bring the kidnappers to justice.”
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