Abuja Music Band Leader Reveals Payment of N91m To Abductors

Adewunmi Samuel Sofomade, the leader of the Abuja-based music band abducted along the Lokoja highway, has revealed the sum paid for their release.

The band leader was abducted in December 2023, alongside his crew, while returning from a show in Kogi State.
After a few days in captivity, the 13-member group was eventually released

However, in a recent interview with BBC Yoruba, the band leader, also known as Omoba De Jombo Beats, mentioned that the kidnappers later lowered their ransom from N10 million to N7 million each before their release.

“We were 13 that went to perform at a burial ceremony in Itakete Isao, close to Isan-Olu in Kogi State. And we had to move by road because they don’t have an airport in Kogi.

“We had gone since Thursday. We finished performing at about 5:30 pm on Friday. So we felt that there was still time to return to Abuja. The incident happened just after we have past Dangote Cement.

“We spent six days with the kidnappers inside a very thick forest and the six days felt like six years because a lot of things happened in that forest.

“They asked for N10 million each. We started begging their commandant that we could not gather N10 million. He later reduced it to N7 million each

“When we received the information that the money had been completed but there was no cash during the December period, we started looking for cash. They initially agreed that the money be converted to dollars, but their leader later changed his mind and insisted on the naira.”

Kanyi Daily recalls that the Federal Capital Territory Police Command had rescued two persons abducted by kidnappers who invaded the Mpape community of the capital city.