Kidnapped NYSC Member Freed After N1.1m Ransom Payment

• NYSC member Rofiat Lawal, kidnapped on the Benin-Ore Expressway, regains freedom after a N1.1m ransom payment
• Kidnappers initially demanded N20m but reduced the amount to N5m after negotiations
• Lawal’s release was secured through collective efforts by her family, friends, and well-wishers

A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Rofiat Lawal, who was abducted along the Benin-Ore Expressway on Tuesday, has been released after her family paid a ransom of N1.1 million.

Lawal was kidnapped while traveling from Benin, Edo State, to Ibadan, Oyo State, to resume her primary assignment.

Family negotiates ransom down from N20m

According to reports, the kidnappers initially demanded N20 million as ransom but later reduced the amount to N5 million following negotiations with Lawal’s family.

The family, however, struggled to raise the funds, prompting appeals for assistance from friends, associates, and well-wishers.

A close friend of the victim, Agbakwara, who was involved in the negotiations, provided an update on the situation.

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In a Facebook post on Saturday, he shared a video of Lawal and detailed the efforts made to secure her release.

“In the early hours of Friday, the kidnappers pressured us, warning that if we failed to meet their demands, we should not expect her return,” Agbakwara wrote.

He explained that a collective effort involving Lawal’s school colleagues, members of the Muslim association, friends, and family members helped raise N1.1 million.

Rofiat released on Friday after ransom

The ransom was paid into an account provided by the kidnappers, with a man named Isaac Ayo claiming his sister had also been abducted and promising to deliver the money.

After hours of anxious waiting, Lawal and other victims were released late Friday night and taken to a hospital for medical attention.

“Finally, at around 10 pm, we received the long-awaited call: they had been released and taken to the hospital,” Agbakwara stated.

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He confirmed that Lawal was reunited with her family on Saturday morning, while the other victims also returned safely to their families.

Agbakwara expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to the ransom, shared information about the incident, and tagged relevant authorities. “Your support made this possible,” he said, acknowledging the role of collective efforts in securing Lawal’s freedom.

The incident highlights the growing concerns over insecurity on major highways in Nigeria, particularly the Benin-Ore Expressway, which has become a hotspot for kidnappings and armed robberies.

Lawal’s ordeal serves as a reminder of the risks faced by travelers and the urgent need for improved security measures to protect citizens.

Bandits kidnap former NYSC director general

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Bandits had abducted a former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd), and many others in Katsina state.

Tsiga and others were kidnapped after bandits attacked Tsiga community in the Bakori local government area of Katsina State. As reported by leadership, the bandits attacked the community around 12:30am on Thursday, February 6, 2025.

Source: Legit.ng