Ekiti Commissioner’s Abductors Reduce Ransom To N15m

The gunmen, who abducted the Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture, Folorunso Olabode, have reduced the ransom they demanded from N30m to N15m.

 A family source said in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday that the reduction was against the backdrop of negotiations and inability to meet the N30m earlier demanded on Monday.

The commissioner and one other occupant of the vehicle which they drove in along Isan-Iludun Ekiti Road on Sunday evening were abducted while a councilor in the Ilejemeje Council Legislative Assembly, who drove the car was shot dead by the abductors.

The family source said, “The process of negotiation began on Monday and the initial request was N30m. But as of today (Wednesday), the captors have reduced the amount to N15m.

“We are hoping that the commissioner will be released soon because we are all concerned about his safety,” he said.

But the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr. Sunday Abutu, said the law enforcement agents were not aware of any negotiations on the demand made by the abductors, assuring that the cops and other security networks were on the trail of the bandits.

Abutu said, “The police and other security have begun serious stop and search along the route to ascertain the identities of commuters. The police have begun serious security checks in that axis. We have taken strict security measures and we are closing in on the criminals.

“We are not aware that the bandits were requesting for any ransom, we have not been told. But I can assure you that every security measure would be put in place to secure the release of the abducted commissioner.”