Edo kidnapped victims beg relations for N70m ransom payment

By Jethro Ibileke

Three victims kidnapped by gunmen in Edo State,  have appealed to their loved ones to pay the ₦70 million ransom demanded by their abductors to secure their freedom.

The victims were abducted in early August in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of  the state, while delivering ransom for previously abducted victims.

In a viral video released by their captors, the victims pleaded with their family members to complete the ransom payment to end their torture.

One of the victims, who identified himself as Lukeman, spoke on behalf of the other two, appealing to their family members and other concerned individuals to help raise the funds.

The kidnappers, who masked their faces in the video, displayed a human skull as the victims continued to plead for assistance to regain their freedom.

According to a community source, the kidnappers had initially demanded ₦70 million in ransom for the earlier victims, but the amount was negotiated down. However, when the victims’ families arrived with the ransom, the kidnappers insisted that the original amount of ₦70 million must be paid in full before releasing the victims.

The source added that following the video, the victims’ age group in Auchi has been mobilizing support to raise funds to complete the ransom and secure the victims’ release