βThe Police Command in Kogi has confirmed the death of a retired Army Major, Joe Ajayi, in the hands of his abductors after the payment of N10 million ransom by his family for his release.
βSP Williams Ovye-Aya, the spokesman of the command, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lokoja. Ajayi, 76, was kidnapped from his residence in Odo-Ape, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi on May 21.
βOvye-Aya said that the remains of the deceased retired army officer had been recovered and deposited at the Kabba Specialist Hospital mortuary, according to the Bunu Leaders Forum. βHe however assured that the command would leave no stone unturned in unravelling those behind the dastardly act and arrest them as well as make them face the wrath of the law.
βSimilarly, the Chairman and Secretary of Bunu Leaders Forum, Prof. Olu Obafemi and Dr Ade Abanida respectively, also confirmed the incident. βAccording to them, the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N50 million, which the family could not pay. As a result, the deceased’s health deteriorated due to a lack of medication.
ββThe kidnappers later reduced the ransom to N10 million after discovering that his condition was critical. The family, who reportedly thought that he was still alive, quickly agreed and paid the ransom to the kidnappers.β Thereafter, the kidnappers directed the family to where they could find him, but shockingly, they only found his lifeless body.β
βMeanwhile, the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Sen. Sunday Karimi, has described the killing of the retired army officer as a βvery unfortunate and sad developmentβ. βKarimi, in a statement issued in Lokoja, lamented the insecurity situation in the district.
βAccording to him, the whole of Kogi West is now under siege in the hands of kidnappers, with people afraid to leave their houses.
- Source: (NAN)
