17th November, 2012
Abiodun Onafuye, Abeokuta
Alhaji Safiriyu Araba, the Nigerian businessman, popularly known as Aranse-Oluwa, who was kidnapped Sunday by some unidentified men in a mosque in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state, in Western Nigeria, has been released.
P.M.News can authoritatively reveal that the businessman was released by his abductors Saturday afternoon and he has since reunited with his family members at his residence in Ijebu-Ode.
P.M.NEWS learnt that the family parted with some ransom money before he got his freedom.
According to the family source who pleaded anonymity, ”Alhaji has been released as I am talking to you now. He is inside the house now while people have been trooping in to see him and greet him. I don’t want to say more than that for now and on how much was paid for his release, Iwould prefer to be silent about that, but we thank God that we were able to pay them and get Alhaji back hale and hearty, that is the most important thing. Money is not more valuable than life and we can never compare the preciousness of life to money”, the source disclosed.
Safiriyu Asaba,56, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aranse-Olu Merchant Dealers in in the town was kidnapped at the Osenatu Iyalode Mosque, immediately after the morning prayers around 6a.m last Sunday.
His wife, a teacher at the Ikoto Comprehensive High School, Ikoto-Ijebu, told our correspondent in his residence at 3, Adebayo Lawal Street, Olorunsogo, Molipa in Ijebu Ode local government area of Ogun State, the following morning when he visited them that the incident was still like a dream to her and other family members.
Aranse Oluwa is the third person to be kidnapped in the Ijebu area of Ogun state in the last seven months.
In May this year, an employee of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOUTH, Sagamu, Dr. Mrs Sola Otulana, was kidnapped at Agbowa-Ikosi on Ikorodu-Ijebu Ode road; and the owner of Citi Hotels and Suite, Segun Ayobolu who is also the founder of Feed the Elderly Foundation was also abducted in the early days of October.
They were not released by their abductors until their families’ paid undisclosed amount of money as ransom.