Corps Member Freed After N1.1m Ransom
A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Rofiat Lawal, who was kidnapped along the Benin-Ore Expressway on Tuesday, has been released after her family paid a ransom of N1.1 million.
Lawal was abducted while traveling from Benin, Edo State, to Ibadan, Oyo State, to resume her primary assignment. The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N20 million, but after negotiations, they reduced it to N5 million. However, Lawal’s family was unable to meet the original demand.
According to Lawal’s friend, Agbakwara, who was involved in the efforts to secure her release, the kidnappers threatened to harm her if the ransom was not paid. Desperate to bring her home, Agbakwara reached out to a wide network, including Lawal’s colleagues, friends, and community members, to gather the necessary funds.
Through collective efforts and the generosity of many, N1.1 million was raised. The ransom was sent to an account provided by the kidnappers at 4:20 pm on Friday. The kidnappers’ representative, Isaac Ayo, who claimed his sister had also been abducted, assured the family that the money would be delivered to secure Lawal’s release.
On Saturday morning, Lawal was finally reunited with her family. Agbakwara shared an update, saying that after hours of waiting, they received a call confirming that she had been freed and taken to the hospital for a check-up. Later, Agbakwara received another call confirming that Lawal was on her way home, and other kidnapped victims had also returned to their families.
Agbakwara expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the ransom and helped spread the word, acknowledging their role in Lawal’s safe return.
