Abductors of Mrs. Lakshmi Tombush the principal of ExxonMobil Pegasus schools in Eket,  Akwa Ibom today demanded the sum of N1 billion ransom for her release according to police sources.

SaharaReporters gathered that the kidnappers established telephone contact with the family threatened to launch further attack if they tried anything ‘funny’.

The abductors who claimed to be from the local community in Eket said that their target was to get ExxonMobil in Nigeria to pay the ransom demanded and warned family sources to keep off as they were only interested in ExxonMobil’s money.

The kidnappers reportedly said that they were aggrieved about the insensitive posture of the oil company to the extreme poverty in their operational areas citing the non-payment of pending compensation claims since year 2000 as one of their grievances.

The oil firm had in a media statement on Thursday signed by its Executive Director in charge of External Relations, Mrs. Gloria Essien Danner, confirmed the kidnap of Mrs. Tombush but stated that the motive behind the abduction was yet to be ascertained.


Efforts to get a reaction ExxonMobil regarding the kidnapper's demands failed as officials did not respond to our phone calls.

Meanwhile, respite came the way of Mrs. Comfort Ewang, wife of for airfare Group Captain Sam Ewang who was kidnapped a week ago by gunmen in her school about 10 kilometers from Uyo.

Mrs Ewang was reportedly released last night and has re-united with her family according to security sources in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital.

Mrs. Ewang was former first lady in Rivers and Ogun states under  military rule. Politically sources in Akwa Ibom said she was kidnapped to intimidate her husband who earlier declared his governorship ambition for Akwa Ibom state under the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/kidnappers-demand-n1-billion-release-exxonmobil-school-principal