Families Of Kidnapped Inec Workers Sob As Ransom Demands Of N50m Are Made.

Six Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adhoc staffers were abducted in Kogi State, and their families have begged the government to save them.

The shouts came after their captors demanded a N50 million ransom before releasing them.

Remember that early on March 19, 2023, during the Kogi State House of Assembly election, several INEC employees were kidnapped in Obajana.

When they were ambushed by hoodlums, the victims were traveling back from Kupa North and South in Lokoja Local Council.

At the time of the incident, Superintendent of Police (SP) William Ovye Aya, the spokesperson for the Kogi State Police Command, said that 96 people had been saved by the police, while three had been wounded and two victims were still missing.

Babalola Oluwatobi Peter, an Assistant Presiding Officer II (APO II) in the March 18 election, however, said in a statement made yesterday on behalf of the relatives of the victims that his sister was among those still held captive.

Peter disputed the police’s assertion that every victim of kidnapping had been freed.

He included the names of people who are currently being held captive, such as Muhammad Maimunat and Abdulrahaman Raji (two serving corps members).

Others include Blessing, Florence Shayo Ajayi, Opara Tina, and Oyaniran Atinuke Ruth.

describing what happened and how it happened. When it happened, Peter recalled, “We were coming from Kupa South and North. I had a job up there. Therefore, we left the North at six minutes after six and arrived in the South at approximately eight three in the evening, when our Supervisory Presiding Officers requested that we go to Lokoja (SPOs). I informed them that we were staying home and that, as was the case with the Presidential election, they should let us sleep and pick us up at 4:00 a.m.

The SPO South, though, persisted that he wanted to depart. I couldn’t refuse since I am also an APO. They refused to let us relocate despite requests from every other Corp member to do so. We were forced to leave when they demanded. We were assaulted by the bandits when we arrived in Obajana. Six automobiles were travelling with us, and ours was the second one.

“Although the second truck accidentally hit the culvert and became immobile, the first vehicle was able to leave. But before we could react, the third car slammed into us from behind. Just one of the three police officers that we had was armed. The armed policeman told us to take off our white clothing and run for our lives when the bandits attacked. I realized I hadn’t seen my sister, Oyaniran Atinuke Ruth, as everyone was racing about erratically.

“The event took place between 1:00 and 2:00 in the morning. Pictures taken were just out of our bus. Six persons, including my sister, are still missing, we alerted the security services, including INEC. We shouldn’t be concerned that they will find them, they said. Nothing has been done so far. When I saw in certain headlines that the abducted victims had been freed, I was astounded. They just got in touch with us and demanded N50 million in ransom.

“The kidnappers continue to phone us from various numbers. They can only call you; you cannot call them. In order to prevent them from hurting my sister and the other victims in their care, they even instructed us to send them to recharge cards, which we merely did.

Peter urged the authorities and security services to free the kidnapped people.

Olawafemi Olakanmi, the husband of one of the abducted victims, bemoaned that he hasn’t slept since his wife Florence Shayo Ajayi was taken on March 19, 2023. He claimed to have last spoken to his wife (Florence Shayo Ajayi) at about 12:00 a.m. before the event.

He cried, “I only ask God to free my wife.

William Ovye Aya, the state police’s spokesperson, has not yet returned text messages to his phone numbers.