The four Ibadan-bound travellers kidnapped in Ekiti State last Sunday have regained their freedom after reportedly paying N4 million ransom.
According to TRIBUNE, the travellers were kidnapped along Irele and Oke-Ako Ekiti road in Ajoni Local Council Development Area, returning to Ibadan from a ceremony in Kogi State.
A source who spoke with newsmen on Tuesday revealed that the four victims were released in a forest in Iyemero-Ekiti in Ajoni LCDA.
He said, the gunmen had called the family of the victims on Sunday night and demanded N10 million before they could be released.
The source added, that after intense negotiations and pleading, the gunmen settled for N4 million.
He said: “I can confirm to you that the four victims were released on Tuesday morning after they [gunmen] collected N4 million from the relatives of the victims.
“You know they initially demanded N10 million, but the families begged them before they agreed to release them around a forest in Iyemero-Ekiti for that amount.”
Although, the corps commander of Amotekun in the state, Brigadier-General Joe Komolafe (retd), confirmed differently, saying the release of the victims was made possible through the joint efforts of Amotekun corps, police and local hunters in the area, denying knowledge of ransom payments.
