Obasanjo’s Abducted Staff Released

By Uche Mbah

The Financial Controller, Group Auditor, and Group Store manager of Obasanjo Holdings, who were abducted Wednesday at Seseri village, near Kobape in Obafemi-Owode local government area of Ogun state, have been released.

Obasanjo Holdings is a Holdings Company belonging to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In recent times, Obasanjo has been coming on hard on kidnapping, banditry, and government’s handling of the security situation in the country.

Reports say there was no ransom paid, but skeptics are suspicious of such claims due to  past experiences as red herring.

The victims were  riding in a Hilux van along the Kobape-Abeokuta expressway when they were accosted by gunmen.

The gunmen shot at the van. The van skidded to a stop and they dragged the victims into the bush.

They were subsequently taken to an unknown destination.

When contacted on Friday night, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi was said to have confirmed the release of the abductees.

Oyeyemi said security agencies mounted pressures on the abductors which resulted in their release. Since then, according to him, operatives of the anti-kidnapping units of the police force have been combing the forests looking for the kidnappers.

“Yes, we mounted a lot of pressure on the kidnappers. Since yesterday, (Thursday) our Anti-kidnapping and SWAT operatives have been in the bush searching for them”, he reportedly said.

“They were able to trace them to the bush behind Day Waterman college. They have been there since yesterday.

“This evening (Friday), they released them unhurt without any ransom.”

He denied making any arrests but said: “We are very sure that we will make an arrest.”

In a related development, victims of kidnappings in Zamfara state are being released by their abductors because the kidnappers can no longer contact the relatives of the kidnapped to demand ransom due to telecom companies shutting down activities in the state.