Kidnapped Airforce Squadron Leader, His Wife, Still In Captivity, One Month After

By Gideon Njoku

A Nigeria Airfirce Officer,  Squadron Leader Nurudeen Popoola who was kidnapped from his Kaduna residence is still in the hands of his abductors, one month after the incident.

Squadron Leader Popoola was kidnapped along with his wife, Dr Ganiya Olawale-Popoola, an Ophthalmologist, from their National Eye Centre Quaters,  Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna. Kidnapped, also, was the couple’s 16- year old guest, Abdulmungiy Folaranmi.

Their ordeal began on December 27, 2023, when gunmen broke into their residence at an uncivilised time of 1.00am, and abducted the three of them.

For four days, the hoodlums made no contact with either family or friends. When they finally did, they demanded for the sum of N100m in ransom money for their freedom.

Family sources, who expressed shock that the Airforce has not been able to effect the release of its own officer, his wife and guest, said all efforts to negotiate downward the N100m ransom demand has failed.

The family, he said, has been able to raise the sum of N20 million, but the hoodlums, rejected it and stuck to the demanded N100m.

Last week, according to the family source, the hoodlums called, and threatened they would kill their victims if the family keeps delaying in the payment for their freedom.

Reports say both the Police and the Airforce insist they are making efforts to secure their release without exposing them to more danger than they are in already.