Kidnappers in Ogun State have freed a police officer, Kamarudeen Bello, after collecting N700,000 ransom.
The armed men abducted Mr Bello, a police inspector, around 8 p.m. last Sunday at a mosque in Soyoye, Rounder, in Abeokuta north local government area of the state.
The kidnappers also took away two worshippers at the mosque.
A police officer told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Bello’s wife delivered a baby four days before her husband was kidnapped.
“After he was abducted alongside two others, the kidnappers called to demand N5 million ransom for the release of each of the victims. But with pleadings and negotiations, the money was reduced,” said the officer who requested not to be named to avoid being sanctioned by the authorities.
A source close to the family said the kidnappers used the phone of one of their victims to call Mr Bello’s wife.
“Most of us were scared when they kidnapped him; we didn’t want them to know he is a policeman. If they knew, they might have killed him over the fear that he would have prompted their arrest.”
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the kidnappers released Mr Bello and the other worshippers last Thursday after receiving the ransom.
“I don’t know how much each of them paid, but I think the police inspector parted with about N700,000 before he was released,” the family source added.
Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the incident. He, however, denied knowledge of any ransom payment.
