Kidnappers free husband and five mourners in Benue

Kidnappers have let go of a woman’s husband and five others. They were taken while carrying her body for burial in Benue State. This happened after the family paid a ransom of N2.5m.

PUNCH Metro reported earlier that the six people were kidnapped along Adoka Road in Otukpo Local Government Area.

The victims were taken around 8pm on Friday. They were on their way to Okpoga in Okpokwu Local Government Area for the burial.

The woman had passed away in Kano. Her husband and five mourners were bringing her body home when their vehicle was stopped by the kidnappers along the well-known Adoka Road.

The kidnappers left the woman’s body on the road. They demanded a ransom of N15m for the release of the six people.

A source told our correspondent that the victims were set free in the early hours of Wednesday after the family paid N2.5m.

“The six kidnap victims were released in the early hours of today after the family paid N2.5m,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Maxwell Ogiri, the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, confirmed that the victims were released. He did not want to talk about the ransom payment.

He said, “It’s true that the victims were released between Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday.”

DSP Peter Aondongu, the Police Public Relations Officer for the state, said he had not received a report about their release yet.

“I’m yet to get the report of the release of the kidnap victims,” the police spokesman said.