Faith Onoriode, a kidnapped female corps member who was abducted along with other travellers on the Kaduna-Abuja road, has been released.
Her relatives were said to have paid N2 million, a motorcycle, five Tecno phones, and a N100,000 recharge card as ransom.
On March 21,2022, the bandits blocked the Kaduna-Abuja road and kidnapped road users.
One of them was a Biology/Microbiology graduate of Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe, Oghara, who was assigned to the Jigawa State orientation camp.
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The gunmen called her relatives a few days after she was kidnapped to demand ransom.
However, following negotiations, they agreed to provide N2 million in cash, five brand new techno phones, a new motorcycle, and a N100,000 recharge card.
Her brother, Festus Onoriode, confirmed her release, saying her sister was released on Sunday, May 29, and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
The abductors gave them specifications for the motorcycle and the phone, according to Festus, and they also sent them airtime worth a hundred thousand naira.
He thanked Almighty God that his sister had not been raped, and explained that they had to travel to Lagos State to get the bike because it was not available in Kaduna.
He claims that they had to pay N300,000 for service delivery in order to deliver the ransom and motorcycle to the kidnappers.
“We paid two million naira and sent a hundred thousand naira recharge card, which they divided into fifty thousand naira MTN and fifty thousand naira Airtel.” In addition, they demanded a motorcycle and five cellphones. They described the motorcycle and phone in detail. They claimed that the motorcycle was not sold in Kaduna, but rather in Lagos.
“We purchased the bike and five Tecno phones.” When we told them we were ready with the bike, they suggested we hire an escort to take it to a specific location. And the escort cost 300,000 naira.
“It was God,” she said. While my sister was in the kidnappers’ custody, we went to various churches for prayers. Last Sunday, she was released between 6:30 and 7 p.m. It was all because of the Lord’s will. People paid money but never saw their relatives.
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“She was set free by God.” We are grateful to God for everything He has done for us. She is in a Kaduna hospital. We also appreciate everything security agencies in Kaduna did for us. It wasn’t easy to raise the money for the ransom. People came to our aid. We’re grateful she came out.
“I have no choice but to express gratitude to the kidnappers for releasing my sister. We are grateful to them for keeping their promise when we hear what people in the north pay to be released,” he said.