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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

Kwara community raises N60m ransom to free three abducted minors

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Three minors abducted from Awun community in Kwara State have been freed after residents paid a N60 million ransom.
  • The ransom was raised through contributions from community members and indigenes living abroad over four months.
  • The kidnappers also demanded food items, and the community expressed relief mixed with the immense financial burden of securing the children's release.

Three young children abducted from the Awun community in Oro-Ago, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, have been released after four months in captivity. Their freedom came at the cost of a N60 million ransom, reportedly raised through contributions from residents and indigenes living in the diaspora.

The victims, aged between four and 15, were kidnapped from their home in February while their father, Olajide Buraimoh, was away. Community sources revealed that the ransom payment was preceded by prolonged negotiations with the abductors, who also demanded specific food items, including rice, groundnut oil, spaghetti, semovita, beer, and seasoning sauce.

The children were abducted in February while their father was away from home. The community had no choice but to mobilise resources from both residents and indigenes in the diaspora. They were eventually released on Monday after the ransom was paid.

— Community SourceDetailing the circumstances of the abduction and release.

The fundraising efforts were coordinated via the Awun community's WhatsApp platform, where updates on the negotiations were shared. A source familiar with the situation noted that a pregnant woman abducted with the children had regained her freedom the previous week, while the minors remained captive until the ransom was paid.

Our situation in Awun is pitiable; only God can save us. We received the news of the children’s release on Monday evening. It was a moment of relief for everyone, but the financial burden the community went through to secure their freedom was enormous

— IsmailDescribing the emotional and financial impact on the community.

Ismail, a resident, described the incident's emotional and financial toll on the community. "Our situation in Awun is pitiable; only God can save us," he said. "We received the news of the children’s release on Monday evening. It was a moment of relief for everyone, but the financial burden the community went through to secure their freedom was enormous."

When contacted, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, stated he was unaware of the abduction or the ransom payment, as no report had been filed with the police.

I’m not aware of the development. Nobody informed us of any abduction, talk less of payment of ransom

— Ojo AdekimiStating the police commissioner's lack of awareness of the incident.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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