13th January, 2016
Former speaker of Ondo state House of Assembly and All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant, Victor Olabimtan, who was kidnapped on 11 January has been freed.
According to Gboyega Ajayi, Secretary of the Olabimtan Campaign Organization he was freed on Wednesday.
He did not state if a ransom was paid to secure his release. “We thank and appreciate the Federal government under the able leadership of President Buhari, the Nigeria Police and other security agencies, Leaders of All Progressive Congress at the national and the Ondo state chapter,” the statement read.
The 58 year-old politician was reportedly kidnapped Sunday, 10 January on his way to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital from Akure, the capital of Ondo.
The APC chieftain was kidnapped at Kwali after he was flagged down at a military checkpoint by fake soldiers who turned out to be kidnappers.
His abduction came barely 48 hours after he declared his intention to run for the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship ticket in the state.
Until he joined the APC, he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and contested the PDP nomination for governorship election in 2012.
Olabimtan is also a former commissioner of the Federal Civil Service Commission.