Kidnapped Delta SAN, Pays N7 million; Regains Freedom

By Gideon Njoku

For the family of a high profile lawyer, Chike Onyemenam, SAN, it’s sunshine after darkness. It’s time to give thanks to God, and celebrate.

Onyemenam who was kidnapped last week in Asaba, Delta state, has been released by his abductors after almost one week in captivity. He regained freedom on Monday.

But not on a platter of gold.

It took the goodwill of his friends who coughed out the sum of seven million after the distraught SAN, and his more distraught wife,  reached them over their predicament.

His abductors had set his freedom fee at N15million. But after an energy sapping negotiations, and so much pleading, with his kidnappers, by his weeping wife, they grudgingly accepted the sum of seven million Naira, the bulk of which came from his friends.

He was kidnapped along with a junior lawyer from his chambers, who was released later, while they made away with the SAN.

A reliable family source told this magazine, in Asaba, that Onyemenem was kidnapped by Fulani herdsmen on his way back to his house after he inspected a building he is putting up.

The Police in Asaba were yet to confirm either the kidnapping of the SAN, or his release, at the time of writing this.