He said an undisclosed ransom was paid after intensive negotiation between the victims’ family and the kidnappers.
“Actually, he was released on Saturday at about 2am around a forest that share boundary with Kaduna state, but I can’t tell you the amount that was paid as ransom for security reasons,” he said.
The chairman of the council, Gabaya John, confirmed the release of his father in a telephone interview, saying, “We give glory to God as my father has been released by his abductors and he is in sound and good health.”
When contacted, the spokesperson of the FCT police command, ASP Maryam Yusuf, confirmed the release of the father of the Bwari council chairman, but denied payment of a ransom.
He said the gunmen, in their numbers and armed to teeth, stormed Tokulo community, the village of the council chairman.
The source said the gunmen shot severally into the air after invading the community, to scare residents and some members of the vigilante, before invading the victim’s house and whisking him away.
He said the council chairman was not at home when the gunmen struck, saying the family was yet to establish contact with the abductors.
“In fact, the kidnappers wanted to also take the man’s wife, but when they discovered that she was sick and couple with her old age, they spared her and whisked away the old man,” he said.
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Adelani Adepegba, Abuja
Suspected kidnappers have abducted seven children from the Rachael’s Orphanage Home, Abaji Area Council, Abuja.
The gunmen also abducted a security guard identified as Joseph Mathew, including two housewives; Rukaiyyat Salihu, and Suwaiba Momoh, during the attack on Saturday.
While the police claimed they had rescued one of the hostages, it added that efforts were being intensified to free others still held captive.
The names of the abducted orphans were given as Elizabeth Andrew, Dayo Udeh, Jacob Ukpas, Melody Ijeh, Benard Itim, Issac Mathew and Laruba Emmanuel.
Police sources said the attackers forcefully entered the orphanage and whisked away their victims to an unknown location.
Our reporter reliably gathered that the abductors of the orphans were demanding N10 million for the seven orphans including the security guard of the home
Daily Trust learnt that the kidnappers had also aksed for N10 million for each of the couple, Momoh Jimoh and his wife, Khadijat Jimoh who were abducted alongside another housewife, Rukaiyyat Salihu.
A source at the orphanage home, who preferred anonymity, told our reporter on Monday that the Kidnappers made a phone call on Sunday and Monday, in which they demanded N10 million for the seven orphans and the security guard before they could be set free.