Kidnappers of Ondo monarch reduce ransom to N10m 5 days after kidnapping

The abductors of Oba Omoola Jimoh, the traditional ruler of Oso Ajowa Akoko in Akoko North West Council area, Ondo state, have reduced the ransom to N10 million.

They have threatened to “eradicate the monarch” if the family members do not pay the ransom.

Six gunmen dragged Oba Jimoh on the floor and abducted him from his bedroom around 10 p.m. last Thursday.

This comes as traditional rulers in Akokoland have expressed concern about the way one of them has been molested and abducted since last Thursday.

As a result, they have given all strangers farming in the Ajowa community a 24-hour deadline to produce the monarch alive.

On Saturday, the kidnappers demanded N100 million in ransom in exchange for his release.

One of the victims’ senior brother, Samuel, stated at an emergency security meeting in OkeAgbe that the kidnappers have agreed to reduce the ransom to N10 million.

“The kidnappers have opened a line of communication with the family members since Thursday,” Samuel said.

“They have reduced the ransom to N10 million.” They have also threatened to kill our brother if we do not pay the demanded ransom.

“We, the family, are taking advantage of this opportunity to appeal to the government, security agencies, and all well-to-do Nigerians to assist us in rescuing our brother alive.”

According to him, the victim was a retired school principal.

Meanwhile, speaking at the security meeting, the chairman of the Akoko North West traditional council, Oba Yisa Olanipekun, expressed concern about the fate of one of them, who had been kidnapped and taken to an unknown location by gunmen since Thursday last week.

Oba Olanipekun enlisted the help of strangers farming in the community to find the kidnapped monarch.

The meeting also gave strangers working in farms across Ajowa community a 24-hour deadline to keep the oba alive.

In addition, Ayodele Akande, the chairman of the local government, stated that the government was disturbed that the monarch could be abducted in such a manner.

Meanwhile, Funmi Odunlami, the state police image maker, assured that the monarch would be rescued safely soon.

Odunlami predicted that the combined efforts of the police, Amotekun, and vigilante groups to save the monarch would soon bear fruit.

She went on to say that the police were on top of the situation.