WARRI – Four abducted victims, of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka along with five others have regained their freedom.
The victims were kidnapped along the now dangerous Eku-Abraka Highway, Ethiope East council area of Delta state, last Saturday.
The victims were said to have regained their freedom on Tuesday night.
Nigerian Observer learnt that the kidnappers had earlier demanded a N5 million ransom for the release of all nine victims, but it was not clear if the said sum was paid before they were freed.
Names of the freed students were given as Arogbo Harriet Seyifunmi, Azunobi Prosper, Miracle Etavbwobor Robert, all 500 level students of the Department of SLT Chemistry and Adegor Aghogho Hapiness, a 500 level student of Electrical Engineering.
All five students are said to have recently concluded their final examinations.
A statement by the Student Union Government of DELSU had on Tuesday, chided the Delta State Government and security agencies for the incessant abductions of students and other travelers along the Eku-Abraka Road.
The students body further said, that the crime has become “alarming,” the statement read, “it is very shameful to the state government and security agencies that they have done nothing to stop the recent attacks on students and citizens, after reports and official complains have been made about the Eku-Abraka expressway.”
Stressing that the lives of students are in danger, the SUG called on the State Government “to wake up, develop and deploy new strategies to deal with insecurity and kidnapping in the state”.
Confirming their release on Wednesday , Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, who did not say whether ransome was paid to get the victims off the hook of their captors, however, said the kidnappers may have suspected that operatives were giving them a hot chase, , hence they let the victims go.
“I think that they got a clue that our troop was closing in on them so they hurriedly released all of them last night (Tuesday)”, Edafe said.
