Kidnappers abduct wives of Ondo Commissioner, Perm Sec
From TUNDE RAHEEM, Akure
Tuesday, June 16 2009



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[b]The abduction menace,  has found its way to Ondo State, where some armed youths abducted the wives of the commissioner for lands and urban development, Mrs Iyabo Evelyn Basaru and that of a newly appointed permanent secretaries, Mrs Sola Alli.

The wives of the two top government officials were kidnapped at about 6.00p.m. in Akure on Sunday along popular Ajipowo Street, off Ondo Road few kilometres away from Basaru's home.
It was gathered that Mrs Alli was accompanying Mrs Basaru to a pharmaceutical store where the latter wanted to buy anti-malaria drugs before the kidnappers struck.

Mrs Basaru was said to be riding in one of her husband's cars when the kidnappers believed to have been monitoring the movement of the commissioner and his family members came out from their hideout and forcibly blocked her way with a motorcycle before hijacking the car and taking the women to an unknown place.
The kidnappers, it was gathered, few hours later informed the commissioner, Alhaji Sikiru Basaru through a telephone call that his wife and her friend had been kidnapped. They also, demanded N20 million ransom each to set the two women free.

But in a swift reaction, the state government through the Commissioner for Information, Ranti Akerele said the government would not pay any ransom, adding that Governor Olusegun Mimiko had held meetings with heads of security agencies in the state to beef up security to forestall recurrence of the evil act.
Akerele, who described the incident as unfortunate said the kidnappers based on their intonations were not from Ondo State, adding that the security agents would sniff them out.

Also, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Charles Dawodu said all police formations had been put on red alert to track down the kidnappers.
Dawodu disclosed that his men were working round the clock to provide watertight security in the state to curb such incidents in the state.





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http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/june/16/national-16-06-2009-002.htm