Kidnappers who abducted Six Benue indigenes including a pregnant woman in Ochada, Ayingba local government area of Kogi State, have demanded the sum of N10 million each as ransom.
The Next Edition gathered that the six persons were abducted last week Saturday, March 19, 2022, while traveling in a Benue Links vehicle, a State transport company, from Makurdi on their way to Lagos.
Driver of the vehicle, Mr. Emmanuel Owoicho who disclosed this on phone with journalist on Thursday, said the families have begun negotiation with the kidnappers offering to pay between N450,000 naira and N750,000.
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“Amongst one of those kidnapped is an orphan lady whose family said they can only pay N80,000 but the kidnappers have rejected the offer.
Owoicho who narrated their ordeal said “on Saturday, 19th March, 2022, I departed Gboko at 10am on my way to Lagos. So after Ayingba, the place is called Ochada junction. On reaching there around after 4pm, I saw some men coming out from the bush and started shooting at us. I wanted to go ahead but later I realized that if I do that, they will riddle the bus with bullets.
“So, I parked and many others emerged from the bush and started robbing us. They collected our money, phones, everything we had they collected. They took over 42,000 naira from me. Then, they asked us to lie on the road but on sighting a trailer on high speed approaching, their leader asked us to get up and stay by the roadside.
“He now asked six persons to follow him, three men and three female into the bush. I called back my passengers and when I got to a Naval Check point, I reported the incident to them.
“The Naval officers with some vigilante asked me to take them to the spot of the incident. After over 30 to 40 minute search, they came back to say they could not find the kidnappers.
“The next day Sunday, I went to the Police Station in Ayingba to formally report the incident and they instructed me to go. I then took the remaining passengers back to Gboko. I feel sad and I pray that they are all released unhurt.”
