Gunmen abduct PDP chieftain in Ekiti, demand N30m ransom

The Financial Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti, Kayode Oni, has been kidnapped.

Oni was said to have been abducted on a spot on the Efon Alaaye-Erio-Ekiti federal highway while returning to his home, Aramoko Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti west local government area late Saturday.

Jackson Adebayo, publicity secretary of the party, who confirmed the incident, said Oni went to conduct the PDP local government congress and was abducted while returning.

Adebayo said the kidnappers had already established contact with Oni’s wife and younger brother and had demanded N30 million as ransom.

With Oni in the vehicle were his daughter and grandson.

“He went to conduct our local government congress in Efon Alaaye and he was abducted while returning to Aramoko,” he said.

“The family had been contacted, but they told the abductors that even the entire family can’t raise N1 million and they were requesting for a staggering sum of N30 million to secure his freedom.

“The family told us reliably that it had made a formal complaint at the police station in Efon about the situation and they promised to take action.

“Our party is not resting as well. We are making contacts to ensure that his safety is guaranteed in the kidnappers’ den.”

Abdulahi Chafe, police commissioner in the state, said he would need time to speak on the matter, saying he had travelled out of the state and would return shortly.

The incident comes a few months an APC leader in the state, Ayo Arise, was also kidnapped.

Arise, a former senator, was released after ransom was paid to the kidnappers.