Ekiti Commissioner’s abductors reduce ransom to N15m

Findings by Daily Times on Wednesday revealed that the kidnappers that abducted the Ekiti state Commissioner for Agriculture, Folorunso Olabode, have reduced their ransom demand to N15 million.

The abductors had on Monday, called the commissioner’s family requesting for N30 million ransom to secure the commissioner’s release.

Olabode and one other were seized by unknown gunmen along the Iludun-Isan Road around 7.30 pm on Sunday.

A councilor and House leader of the Ilejemeje Local Government Area of the state and one of the occupants of the vehicle conveying the abductee, was shot dead in the process.

A family source confided in newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, that the ransom was reduced in the process of negotiating with the captors.

“The process of negotiation began on Monday and the initial request was a sum of N30 million.

“But as of today, Wednesday, the captors had reduced the ransom to N15 million. We are hoping that the commissioner will be released soon because we are all concerned about his safety,” he said.

Commenting on the security measures being taken to secure Olabode’s release, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti state Command, Mr. Sunday Abutu, said the police and other security agencies were on the trail of the bandits.

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Abutu added that the police and other security agencies have begun serious stop and search along the route to ascertain the identities of commuters.

He said the police were not aware of any negotiation on the demand made by the abductors, assuring that every security measures would be put in place to secure Olabode’s release.

“We are not aware that the bandits were requesting for any ransom, we have not been told.

“The police have begun serious security checks in that axis. We have taken strict security measures and we are closing in on them,” he said.