Woman dies after release by kidnappers in Ekiti

The Ekiti State Police Command has said one of the four persons that were allegedly abducted by gunmen in the state on Tuesday is dead.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, said this while addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Friday.

The CP said an engineer, who is working with an Abuja-based construction firm, Mr. Tola Dakuna, with two officials of First Bank Plc., Fidelia Nnaji, one Njideka, and two others suspected to be students of Federal University, Oye Ekiti, were also involved.

Wakama explained that the woman, who was unable to walk when released by the abductors, died of dehydration, having been starved of food and drinks for days.

They were said to have been held hostage by the abductors for three days.

Wakama hinted that Dakuna was supervising some projects in Ekiti State.

Friday Raleigh, Dakuna’s driver, said the victims were kidnapped between Ifaki and Oye Ekiti by the gunmen.

He added that the kidnappers had earlier contacted the First Bank District Manager in Akure and another engineer with the Abuja-based firm demanding N30m ransom each for the hostages.

The payers were to drop the ransom at a block industry at Ifaki Ekiti when the police swooped on them and rescued the victims.

Wakama explained that the criminals released the hostages after the command deployed some men to comb the surrounding bush.