Friday, September 9, 2011
[size=14pt]Abductors free Ondo septuagenarian[/size]

Sunday Aborisade, Akure


The 75-year-old Madam Cecilia Omogbehin, who is the mother of the Chairman, Ondo State Sports Council, Mr. Bamido Omogbehin, on Wednesday night, regained her freedom from the kidnappers after 10 days in captivity.The woman was said to have been released by the kidnappers in the Ese Odo area of the state on Wednesday following the inability of her family including Bamido, who was a member of the state House of Assembly, to pay the N50m ransom demanded by the kidnappers.

Our correspondent learnt that the kidnappers set the woman free when it was obvious her family could not pay the ransom demanded to regain her freedom.

Unconfirmed reports however had it that the woman was released after the payment of a ransom which was reduced drastically.

Both her family members and the police declined information on the amount paid as ransom to the kidnappers.

The sports council boss was said to have told the kidnappers who had earlier demanded N50m that he could not afford such amount.

The kidnappers according to sources threatened to kill the old woman if the ransom was not paid before a specific period but Omogbemi pleaded with them.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Sani Mogaji, confirmed to our correspondent on Thursday that the old woman had been released and handed over to her family.

She was said to have arrived her residence located at Lugbokua Road, Odojomo Igbotako area of Okitipupa on Wednesday night.

Members of her family, friends and neighbours were in her residence to welcome her back home after her 10 days captivity in the creeks.

Magaji described the activities of the kidnappers as criminal, saying he had started taken measures to send them out of the state.

Mogaji said the police had mapped out strategies to curtail the activities of the kidnappers and prevent future occurrences.

He pleaded with members of the public to give useful information to the police that would help the police to rid the state of such criminals, adding that effective crime prevention and control was a joint responsibility.

http://odili.net/news/source/2011/sep/9/832.html