A female corps member, Faith Onoriode, who was kidnapped on the Abuja-Kaduna road by bandits, has been released after her family met the conditions set for her release.
The Biology/Microbiology graduate of Delta state Polytechnic, Otefe, Oghara, was kidnapped alongside others on March 21, 2022, while on her way to orientation camp in Jigawa state.
Her brother, Mr Festus Onoriode, who confirmed her release to Vanguard, said she was released on Sunday, May 29 and is currently undergoing medical attention.
Speaking on details of the release, he said the kidnappers demanded for a motorbike, five Tecno phones, airtime and two million naira.
Festus said the abductors gave them specifications of the motorbike and the telephone, and also requested for airtime worth one hundred thousand naira, all of which they received before releasing her.
He claimed they went as far as Lagos state to purchase the bike because it was not sold in Kaduna.
Speaking further, he added that delivering the motorbike to the kidnappers camp was also not easy, adding that the kidnappers advised them to procure service of escort, so they could beat the vigilant eyes of about ten military checkpoints in the Southern Kaduna area of Kaduna state where they were told to drop the bike.
“We paid two million naira, one hundred thousand naira recharge card which they split into fifty thousand naira MTN and fifty thousand naira Airtel that we sent. They also demanded a motor bike and five phones. They gave the specification of the motorcycle and the phone. They said motorbike is not sold in Kaduna, it is in Lagos,” Festus explained.
“We bought the bike and added the five tecno phones. When we told them we were ready with the bike, they advised us to arrange for escort to take it to a spot. And the escort took three hundred thousand naira to do this.
“We used escort to deliver the bike. There are about ten army check points on the road. We waited for sometime before they released my sister. God did it that she was not raped.
“It was God. We went round churches for prayers while my sister was in the custody of the kidnappers. She was released around 6:30 to 7pm last Sunday. It was the lord’s doing. People had paid money and they didn’t see their hostage.
“It was God that released her. We are thanking God for all He did. She is in the hospital in Kaduna. We also thank security agencies in Kaduna for all they did for us. It was not easy raising the ransom. People assisted us. We thank God she came out,”
“I don’t have any choice but to still thank the kidnappers for releasing my sister. When we hear what people pay up north to be released, we are grateful to them for keeping their promise.” He said.
