 in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, has been abducted along the Auchi-Benin-Ibillo Road while returning to Igarra from Auchi.){kind=link}
Okasime Olowojoba, the Ward 1 Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, has been abducted along the Auchi-Benin-Ibillo Road while returning to Igarra from Auchi.
The incident reportedly took place on Saturday near Sasaro, an area infamous for frequent cases of kidnapping. Olowojoba, a realtor, was said to be on his way to pick up his children who had spent the holidays in Auchi ahead of their school resumption in Igarra.
Sources disclosed that the kidnappers initially seized everyone in the vehicle — Olowojoba, his children, and a house help — but later freed the children and the house help, taking only Olowojoba into the forest.
Speaking with Vanguard on Monday, a family source confirmed that the abductors are demanding a ransom of N50 million for his release.
The source said, “Valentine Okasime Olowojoba had gone to Auchi to bring back his children. On their way home on Saturday, he was kidnapped at Sasaro, a place known for such attacks. There was no network service throughout Saturday, and it was only restored by Sunday noon, delaying communication.”
The family member added, “Initially, they abducted everyone in the car but later released the house help and the children. His car was abandoned at the roadside. By Monday, his brother confirmed that the kidnappers had placed a demand of N50 million for his release. We also heard that more people were abducted in the same area on Sunday.”
Attempts to get a statement from the Edo State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, were not answered.