Police, Immigration Rescue Officer’s Wife After N2.5m Ransom Payment

Operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Police have rescued Mrs Ladi Abel, 45, the wife of a senior Immigration officer, kidnapped on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway on Monday.

Abel was on her way to the Trade Fair Complex in Ojoo, Lagos, to buy goods when she was abducted.

Mr Isaac Elijah, the Public Relations Officer, NIS, Seme Border Command, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry, on Wednesday, that the officer’s wife was rescued on Tuesday at 11:45 p.m. at No. 47, Ogunleye St., a swampy area of Ibereko, Badagry.

Elijah said that the kidnappers fled the scene when they discovered that Police and Immigration officers were on their track, checking from house to house in the area.

“It took the efforts of about 20 immigration officers, 25 Police officers and some good people of Ibereko community to rescue the victim.

“The Divisional Police Officer of Badagry Police Station, CSP Folajimi Akosile was in charge of the operation that burst the syndicate in their hideout.

“But unfortunately, none of them was arrested because they had fled leaving only the victim in their hideout,” he said.

CSI Abel Mada, the husband of victim, said he had already paid the sum of N2.5 million out of the N3 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers on Tuesday.

“When they were shouting on my wife, we first sent N500,000 and later, N2,000,000 in the evening, but they insisted that we have to balance the remaining N500,000 before they release her.

“I was still looking for the balance N500,000 when I heard that she had been rescued by the Police and Immigration around Ibereko swampy area,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of her mother, Miss Naomi Abel said her mother was kidnapped at Torikoh bus stop area of Badagry while going to Trade Fair Complex in a commercial bus.

Naomi said the kidnappers were operating in two buses.

“When they entered the commercial vehicle, the men blew a white substance on them, which made them unconscious.

“About 15 of them were taking to their hideout in Ibereko area, and they were taking them out one by one after receiving their ransom.

“My mother said some of the kidnapped victims in the bus were working for them,” she said.

Naomi thanked the people involved in rescuing her mother, adding that the kidnappers would have been using her to collect more money from the family.