Police lied, we paid N12million ransom before we were released

Three persons who were kidnapped last week in Ondo State have rejected claims that the police and Amotekun rescued them from the den of the kidnappers.

The victims, Mr and Mrs Ibikunle and thirty-five-year-old Olatunbosun Johnson said they paid a total of N12 million was ransom before they were released according to a report by Daily Post.

The couple were kidnapped at Uso along Owo-Akure highway while on their way from Ebonyi to Akure, Ondo State while Johnson was kidnapped within Uso community where he was working on his farm.

The Ondo State Police Command had on Friday claimed through its spokesperson, ASP Tee-Leo Ikoro said it rescued the victims at a forest.

ASP Ikoro had said “We heard they were asking for N20 million ransom, but we are not interested in that. Rather, we are going after them. We rescued the couple and we are going to get the perpetrators.”

Denying the claims of the Police on Monday, Mr Ibikunle said the victims were not rescued by the police and they (the victims) had to pay ransom before they were released.

He added that his family paid the kidnappers N2 million before he was released alongside his wife. And Olatubosun paid N10 million before he was released.

“That’s a big lie. Throughout the horrific experience, we didn’t see anyone of security operatives. I even felt that during the payment of ransom, they (security agents) ought to have laid an ambush for the kidnappers despite that the ransom was paid on the highway.

“We didn’t come across any police, Amotekun or soldiers. The police did not know how I got home until I went to the Anti-Kidnapping squad to write a statement the following day.”