A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Rofiat Lawal, who was kidnapped along the Benin-Ore Expressway on Tuesday, has regained freedom after her family paid a ransom of N1.1 million.
GISTSMATE MEDIA reports that Lawal was kidnapped while traveling from Benin, Edo State, to Ibadan, Oyo State, where she was to resume at her place of primary assignment.
Initially, the abductors demanded a ransom of N20 million, which the victim’s family could not afford. After intense negotiations, the kidnappers reduced the amount to N5 million.
A friend of Lawal, identified as Agbakwara, who was privy to the incident, confirmed on Saturday that she had finally regained her freedom.
Sharing details of the ordeal on Facebook, Agbakwara wrote:
"In the early hours of Friday, the kidnappers pressured us, warning that if we failed to meet their demands, we should not expect her return."
"In desperation, I reached out to everyone I could her colleagues in school, the Muslim association, her friends from her hometown, my fans, and her family."
Through collective efforts and donations, the family and well-wishers managed to raise N1.1 million, which was transferred at 4:20 PM on Friday to an account provided by the kidnappers.
The recipient of the money, Isaac Ayo, claimed that his sister had also been kidnapped and assured them he would deliver the ransom alongside his own payment.
Late Friday night, the long-awaited call came Lawal and other victims were released and taken to a hospital for medical evaluation.
On Saturday morning, another update confirmed that Rofiat was on her way home, and the other victims had also been safely reunited with their families.
"I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed, shared the news, and tagged the necessary authorities. Your support made this possible," Agbakwara wrote.
The incident highlights the growing insecurity along Nigeria’s highways, especially the Benin-Ore Road, where cases of kidnappings for ransom have surged in recent years.
