Tobias Sylvester
Former Ambassador to Venezuela, Felix Oboro, on Saturday regained his freedom after 23 days in kidnappers’ den following an alleged payment of N11m ransom by members of his family.
The 75-year-old who is a one-time Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government and a former lawmaker representing Bayelsa West Senatorial district, was kidnapped on Friday, September 4, 2020, at his hometown of Elemebiri under Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
The gunmen, numbering about 15, had stormed his residence about 24 hours after he arrived at the village, shooting sporadically before whisking him away to an unknown destination.
It was gathered that the kidnappers after abducting him, saw a bank alert balance of over N5m in his account and demanded a ransom payment of N50m, which was later reduced to N11m.
Mr Tuebi Sapri-Obi, a step-son to Oboro, said that he was released on Saturday to the family along the Ayama-Oporoma area of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council.
He said a three-man delegation of family members travelled on boat to drop the N11m ransom demanded by his captors in Ayama-Oporoma area of Southern Ijaw LGA.
Sapre-Obi, however, said: “Contrary to the expectation of the family, father (Felix Oboro) is strong and in a healthy state. When the news of his release came, everyone was happy and jubilating.”
KanyiDaily recalls that six abducted officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had also regained their freedom last week after paying N6 million ransom each.
