SIX days after a 10-man kidnap gang seized Professor Mabel Kamene
Titi Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, at Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, the 82-year-old retired
professor of sociology, University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka, was
released, Friday morning, by her kidnappers in Benin City, Edo State,
after collecting between N10 to N11 million ransom.
S
A young boy, suspected to have been used by the kidnappers as a
“sacrificial lamb” to lead the old woman to safety after the ransom was
delivered to them on Saturday, has been arrested by security agents to
help in their investigations on the identity of the hostage takers.
Professor Kamene Okonjo was shepherded to her Ogwashi-Uku home by security agents, who kept the information secret.
A chartered flight took her Abuja from Asaba Airport departed at
about 2.29 pm. Her son, Onyema, accompanied her. Soldiers, Police and
Customs officials prevented photographers from taking pictures
throughout.
Negotiation for Professor Okonjo’s release was carried out by her
son, Prince Onyema Okonjo, who spoke various times with the kidnappers
on phone between Sunday, December 9, when she was snatched and Friday
morning.
Security agents monitored part of the negotiation with the
kidnappers, but could not trace their exact location until ransom was
paid.
No comments:
Post a Comment