Olu Falae
‘I was let go day after ransom was collected’ A former Secretary to the Federal
Government (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, said
yesterday that he paid ransom to his
abductors before his release last
week. He provided shocking details of how
he was starved, made to trek
kilometres and forced to sleep on
leaves while it rained. The former presidential candidate said
he was kidnapped on his birthday by
six Fulani herdsmen last Monday at his
Ilado farm on the outskirts of Akure,
the Ondo State capital. Speaking to reporters at his home in
Akure, Falae said the armed hoodlums
threatened to kill him every 30
minutes, until they received
information that the ransom had been
paid. He did not state how much was paid to the abductors, who initially
asked for N100 million, which they
reduced to N90 million. A family
member said they could raise only N2
million. Falae, 77, said: “There were six of
them with three or four guns and
every half an hour or so they will say,
‘Baba we are going to kill you, if you
don’t give us money we are going to
kill you. “On Wednesday, one of them said we
are leaving here on Thursday
morning. Since we cannot leave you
here alone, if we don’t get what we
want we are going to kill you. “And they said they gave me until
3pm. I thank God that at 21 minutes
before 3pm, one of them came and
said ‘the money don complete’.” Reliving his ordeal, he said: “When the
hoodlums came, they slashed me with
their cutlasses, they said I was not
cooperating. And they dragged me
barefooted into the bush. “After dragging me around for about
two hours, they stopped somewhere
for us to rest and there they asked me
to phone my wife and tell her that I
have been kidnapped and taken out
of Ondo State, which was a lie. “About 2.30pm on Monday, we
started walking with very few stops
until 2am the following morning. I
guess I must have covered a minimum
of 15 kilometers. “That morning, I did not take
anything. So all day, I had no food, no
water and I walked close to 15km.
How I survived I cannot really
remember. I had no food in my
stomach, I had no shoes, my clothes were torn. “At a point, one of them gave me a
pair of slippers. Later, they called for a
motorcycle. The motorcyclist took me
away. I had no clue where we were
going. Finally, they dumped me
somewhere, where I was, until I was released on Thursday. “In that place, we all slept on leaves.
Unfortunately, it rained in the night
and I was drenched. One of them
brought a small umbrella to cover my
head, but the rest of my body was not. “They offered me bread, but I told
them I could not eat it. I demanded for
a bottle of coke, which was what I
drank every day to have energy and
to continue with the march, because
we were always moving. “They were changing locations two to
three times a day. I suspect it was to
prevent the police from tracing them.” The ex-finance minister said although
the confirmation of the payment of
ransom was made on Wednesday
afternoon, he was not allowed to go
until Thursday morning. “So the following morning, they said I
should go. One of them took ropes to
stitch my buba, which was tattered. “So when I came out of the bush, I
found a motorcyclist, who gave me a
lift to Owo. “The place was about 10km from Owo
town. The place was between Owo
and Ifon. And I walked to that place. I
guess we must have trekked about
25km. “Miraculously, I was not tired, I was
not hungry and I was not afraid of
them at all. Each time they said, ‘Baba
we will kill you,’ I will tell them, ‘no,
insha Allah, you will not kill me’. “I did not break down, but I want to
tell you that when I got back home I
became completely exhausted. “But I am now 80 per cent fit and I
know in the next few days I will be
100 per cent again.” The 77-year-old warned that such
attack should not be allowed to
happen again as it could result to even
graver consequences. “It is not because of me. As for me, I
am a very humble person, but by
virtue of what God has made me and
the status He has given me, it is an
insult to our race that a man like me
could be abducted by a bunch of hoodlums.” He added: “By the way, one of them
told me ‘Baba, if after you leave us you
talk nonsense I will come and catch
you again’. That is the kind of insult I
received.” Asked if the kidnappers were
illiterates, Falae replied: “Only two of
them could speak some English. They
were between 25 and 35. They were
Fulani but they spoke Hausa.” Falae said it was likely his ordeal was
closely connected to his conflict with
Fulani herdsmen, who consistently
grazed on his farm. “The cattle rearers have been giving
me a hard time for the past two or
three years. Because I have a dam on
the farm, so they like to bring their
cattle there to drink water, then they
eat my crops. “This time they ate up my maize farm.
We took pictures, and it was videoed,
the police went there. They were
asked to pay compensation, they
begged and paid half and we
accepted it. “That was about two months ago.
Whether it was one of them who went
to bring his brothers to come and deal
‘with this wicked man’, I don’t know.
It is plausible. “My view is that this is my home. I have
not gone to farm on anyone’s
territory. This is my home where I was
born. I have every right to farm here
and live in peace here. So, this is totally
unacceptable. “I once told the commissioner of
police that if he cannot protect us and
protect my farm, then I will protect
myself. There will be self-help, if
government fails to protect its citizens. “It would have been unfortunate if
that were to happen. The IG met me
and assured me that they will give us
protection. “I hope that we in Ondo State and in
Yoruba land would consult to ensure
that we enhance our protection. We
cannot be slaves in our own territory.” The former SGF said he was not
surprised that the police could not
trace and arrest the kidnappers
because of the manner of their
movement and operation. “These fellows were permanently on
the move. Day and night they were
walking. Through farm lands, through
water, through swamps…they were
scared, they knew they could be
traced with GPS, that was why they were running around all the time. “I was not surprised at all that the
police could not trace them before
they decided to let me go.”
http://thenationonlineng.net/falae-abductors-vowed-to-grab-me-again-if-i-talk/

Good morning ondo, change has come

na waoh

Who was it or them

with such boldness on the part of the kidnappers, I think olu falae needs an army of guards.

I don't know what Nigerians are waiting for to protects themselves from these fulani terrorists using whatever means. as we can see their leaders in the north are keeping quiet including buhari, this was how b.haram started, they all kept sealed lips, until it became a hydra monster. I hope these Fulani people wouldn't be allowed to become more of a monster, when it does u would start hearing useless comments and condemnations from so called elder statesmen, emirs, sultans, obi's obas and various religious bodies.

Pls Wu is falae what concern me with him, why is he all over the news self




Even if dem abduct you several minutes a day i don't care.... Urs ur deal

Hmm mere criminals abducting an elder statesman..which way nigeria

Fulani really show this yorubaman pepper.

I'm sure his sons will vote for his fulani abductors tomorrow in Odua-arewastan.

If you don't hammer a yorubaman he won't love you.

ArodewilliamsT:
Fulani really show this yorubaman pepper.

I'm sure his sons will vote for his fulani abductors tomorrow in Odua-arewastan.

If you don't hammer a yorubaman he won't love you.

I guess u are one of the frustrated children of anger, hatred and perdition from the south b-east.

I am not surprised at all. You people lack respect!

ArodewilliamsT:
Fulani really show this yorubaman pepper.

I'm sure his sons will vote for his fulani abductors tomorrow in Odua-arewastan.

If you don't hammer a yorubaman he won't love you.

U flatthead voted for yaradua and shagari in the past, u are slave and scorn of nigeria.

if this an insult we have received enough of it from the Hausa Fulani

chai, what an insult

Fulani really show this yorubaman pepper.

I'm sure his sons will vote for his fulani abductors tomorrow in Odua-arewastan.

If you don't hammer a yorubaman he won't love you. [/quote]

silly joke.....!!!! Ode!!!

Godfullsam:



I guess u are one of the frustrated children of anger, hatred and perdition from the south b-east.

I am not surprised at all. You people lack respect!

How does this change the fact that an elderstatesman of this calibre was kidnapped by mere cattle men...all you can come up with is this piece of trash. not even concerned with the level of insecurity and lack of respect for the abducted........ is a shame!

omoelesa:
U flatthead voted for yaradua and shagari in the past, u are slave and scorn of nigeria.

conehead bastard

bonechamberlain:
with such boldness on the part of the kidnappers, I think olu falae needs an army of guards.

I don't know what Nigerians are waiting for to protects themselves from these fulani terrorists using whatever means. as we can see their leaders in the north are keeping quiet including buhari, this was how b.haram started, they all kept sealed lips, until it became a hydra monster. I hope these Fulani people wouldn't be allowed to become more of a monster, when it does u would start hearing useless comments and condemnations from so called elder statesmen, emirs, sultans, obi's obas and various religious bodies.

It beats sane imagination how a cattle herding method of an obsolete kind is still done after many centuries. Quite loathsome.
The best beef and dairy producers are using ranches. Not trampling about in other peoples farms.
If they are doing it in their own territory, good for them. Not in another man's land in the name of *one Nigeria*. I once experienced these very backward folks on my farm too. They caused grave damage and got away with it. I know of my own experience but there are numerous unknown others who were as unlucky as their ravaged crops in the hands of these demons. As for me I will no longer report anywhere but act beyond human reasoning to protect my own.