Kidnappers of the former council chairman in Ondo State, Mr Dele Fagoriola, have demanded for N10 million ransom before his release.
This, according to Vanguard, was confirmed by the wife of the victim, Adeola, who reportedly said the kidnappers had opened discussions with the family members.
She said in Akure, the state capital that the family was contacted through phone and a demand of N10 million made. This was corroborated by the victim’s elder brother, Busuyi.
But police spokesman in the state, Mr Femi Joseph, said the command is not aware of the alleged ransom, adding that the Police “will not be part of ransom payment to criminals.”
The family is said to be negotiating downwards to N1 million, which the kidnappers rejected.
Fagoriola, who was kidnapped by seven masked gunmen on Saturday afternoon by armed men suspected to be kidnappers who had invaded his farm located at the boundary of Ondo and Ekiti states along Akure-Ikere Ekiti road around 3 pm and whisked him to an unknown place.
It was gathered that the kidnappers had trailed him to the farm. His elder brother, Busuyi Fagoriola, had confirmed the abduction.
Also, one of the workers on the farm, had explained that the victim came to the farm to supervise the workers on the farm while the gunmen stormed the farm and left with the former council Chairman
According to the worker, the gunmen who were masked were young boys brandishing dangerous weapons and rounded up the victim a few minutes after he alighted from his vehicle.
He said the gunmen dragged the victim to their waiting vehicle saying the abductors might have been waiting or trailing Fagoriola as they walked him through the thick bush in the area.
The state police spokesman, Femi Joseph, had also confirmed the incident assuring that detectives had been deployed to the area to rescue the victim.
Fagoriola, served as a former council chairman of Akure North between 2004 and 2007 in the administration of the late Governor Olusegun Agagu.
