In Kwara State, kidnappers have developed new strategies as they are now robbing victims inside their homes.
Alhaja Kehinde Ejide, the daughter of a well-known female musician in Ilorin, was reportedly abducted on Sunday at her Oko-Olowo home on the outskirts of the state capital of Ilorin.
On that dreadful day, around 3am, the victim, Sulia, née Alhaji Saka Onikolobo, was kidnapped from her home.
According to a close relative of the victim, the kidnappers were actually seeking for the victim's husband “but took the wife away when they didn’t meet her husband at home,” according to newsmen.
According to the source, the abductors who took the woman to an unidentified location then phoned her family and demanded a N2 million ransom.
He revealed that on Monday night, the victim's relatives collected N2 million and sent it to the kidnappers.
According to reports, the kidnappers released their victim after receiving the N2 million ransom.
The woman was taken from her Oko-Olowo home in the early hours of Sunday, according to Okasanmi Ajayi, spokesman for the Kwara State Police Command.
According to Ajayi, the victim's relatives called the Oloje Police Station to report the crime.
He, however, added that the combined efforts of the police and members of the vigilance group led to the release of the woman by the kidnappers.
He said the Police Command was not aware of payment of any ransom to the kidnappers by the relations of the victim.
“Yes, the woman was kidnapped in her residence at Oko-Olowo. According to reports, the kidnappers were actually looking for the woman’s husband. It took the combined efforts of the police and vigilantes to rescue the victim unhurt.
“We are not aware of any payment of ransom by the victim’s family. Let me use this opportunity to advise members of the public against taking such action once they have lodged complaints with the police. It’s important for the people to have absolute trust in the Police,” Ajayi added.