Kidnapped Corps Member Released After ₦1.1M Ransom

Rofiat Lawal, a member of the National Youth Service Corps, was abducted Tuesday along the Benin-Ore Expressway but was freed after her family paid a N1.1 million ransom.

PUNCH Online reports that Lawal was kidnapped while en route to Ibadan, Oyo State, from Benin, Edo State, to resume at her place of primary assignment.

The abductors were said to have demanded an N20 million ransom, which her family appealed that they could not afford.

Following back-and-forth negotiations, the kidnappers reportedly reduced the N20m ransom to N5m.

Giving an update on the incident, Lawal’s friend, identified as Agbakwara, who was privy to the incident, disclosed on Saturday that Aminat has regained her freedom.

Sharing a video of the victim in a Facebook post, Agbakwara wrote, “In the early hours of Friday, the kidnappers pressured us, warning that if we failed to meet their demands, we should not expect her return.

“In desperation, I reached out to everyone I could—her colleagues in school, the Muslim association, her friends from her hometown, my fans, and her family.

“Through the collective efforts and generosity of so many, we were able to raise N1.1 million, which was sent at 4:20 pm on Friday to an account provided by the kidnappers.

“The recipient, Isaac Ayo, claimed that his sister had also been kidnapped and assured us he would deliver the ransom alongside his own.”

He stated that Lawal was finally reunited with her family on Saturday morning.

“For hours, we anxiously waited. Finally, at around 10 pm, we received the long-awaited call: they had been released and taken to the hospital.

“This morning, we got another call confirming that Rofiat was on her way home, and the others had also safely returned to their families.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed, shared the news, and tagged the necessary authorities. Your support made this possible,” he concluded.