5 popular kidnap cases that shook Nigeria
The recent kidnap of the wife of Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele along the Benin-Agbor road shook Nigeria to the very core for at least two days.
Many wondered how despite the heavy security such an important personality was still kidnapped. The kidnap shows clearly that the perpetrators were well trained and had given much thought to the operation. This really scared every Nigerian.
That kidnap however is not the first time an important, well protected personality had been kidnapped in Nigeria, even as this post was being published, Laurentia Laraba Mallam, the minister of the environment during the government of Goodluck Jonathan, was reportedly abducted along with her 73-year- old husband, Pius in Jere, in Kaduna state.
Here are some other kidnaps that should scare any right thinking Nigerian as to the state of security in Nigeria:
1. Oba Yushau Oseni
The Lagos monarch, the Oba Oniba of Ibaland known as Oba Yushau Oseni was abducted on July 16 2016. The abductors shot his wife and killed his guard.
The abductors whisked him out of the palace at about 11.30pm, and took him away through the waterways. They later demanded a ransom of N500m for his release.
He was released after three weeks, wearing just shorts and a T-shirt after his abductors had collected about N15 million.
2. Madam Beauty Siasia
Madam Beauty Siasia is the mother of the late U-23 Nigeria football team coach, Samson Siasia. She was kidnapped from her home in Odoni village, Saghama local government area of Bayelsa state on November 16, 2015.
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of N150 million, which they then reduced to N50 million and then N32 million. Eventually she was released by her captors 12 days later on November 28, 2015 at about 1.30am on the popular East-West Road, the major gateway linking the South-South to other parts of the country.
Whether a ransom was paid was not revealed as police claim she was released due to the fact they were hot on the heels of the kidnappers.
READ ALSO: BIZARRE: Man Kidnaps 2 children in Lagos, then exchanges them for bags of rice
3. Professor James Adiche
Professor James Adichie is the father of the popular Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, who was kidnapped on May 2, 2015 on his way from Nsukka, Enugu state to Anambra state.
He was released three days later after an undisclosed amount was paid. The kidnappers initially asked for N50million.
In an interview with BBC News Hours, Chimamanda said: "We are still reeling from it. We still have nightmares. I felt deeply hurt and shocked. I also felt very angry.
"I never imagined it would happen to us and to an 80-year-old father like my father who spent his whole life teaching for Nigeria; I felt Nigeria had failed us."
READ ALSO: SHOCKING! You won’t believe what kidnappers did to this 18-year-old girl
4. Olu Falae
The former Finance Minister and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Olu Falae was kidnapped by six Fulani herdsmen at his Ilado home in Akure, Ondo state on September 21, 2015.
The kidnap caused quite an uproar. The kidnappers asked for N100 million, which they later reduced to N90 million, although the amount paid by the family is undisclosed, he was later released on September 24, 2015.
His abductors were later arrested by the police. Narrating the ordeal, Olu Falae said: “There were six of them with three or four guns and every half an hour or so they will say, ‘Baba we are going to kill you, if you don’t give us money we are going to kill you.
“On Wednesday, one of them came and said ‘look we are going to leave here on Thursday morning. Since we cannot leave you here alone, if we don’t get what we want we are going to kill you.”
“And they said they gave me until 3pm and if at 3pm they don’t get the money they would execute me. I thank God that at 21 minutes to 3pm, one of them came and said, ‘the money don complete’.”
5. Sheik Adam Idoko
The chief Imam of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) central mosque, Sheik Adam Idoko was kidnapped on September 10, 2015 at his hometown, Ogrute Enugu-Ezike in Igbo-Eze North Council area of Enugu state, where he was attending a meeting.
The kidnappers asked for N20 million, was said to be have paid N2 Million as ransom and he struck a bargain to not involve security operatives in his rescue. He was later released in the early hours of September 17, 2016.
Source: Legit.ng
