AbdulRauf Adeniji: “How APC Leader Died in Kidnappers’ Den,” Survivor Recounts Ordeal

• APC director of administration, Rauf Adeniji, who was kidnapped on January 26, 2025, has been confirmed dead, reportedly killed by his abductors during ransom negotiations
• The kidnappers deceived Adeniji and his cousin’s family by pretending to be vigilantes, gaining entry to their home before abducting them and eventually killing Adeniji and his cousin’s wife, Esther Adesiyan
• Adeniji’s death was confirmed after the rescue of 60 captives by the Nigerian Army on April 8, but an APC chieftain, Jamiu Olawumi, in an interview, shared more about the incident

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The death of Rauf Adeniji, the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s director of administration, has sent shockwaves through the party and the nation.

How kidnappers killed APC director Adeniji

Rauf Adeniji was kidnapped along with his cousin, Akinropo Adesiyan, and Adesiyan’s wife, Esther, from their residence in Kubwa, Abuja, in January 2025.

Read also

AbdulRauf Adeniji's killing: APC shut down national headquarters

AbdulRauf Adekunle Adeniji, was said to have been killed last month.

According to Vanguard, the kidnappers were said to have killed the APC chieftain while they were still negotiating the payment of a N50 million ransom.

However, an APC chieftain, Jamiu Olawumi, who is privy to the incident, said the kidnappers, masquerading as concerned citizens, tricked the victims by claiming someone had jumped their fence, luring them out before launching the attack in the dead of the night.

The trauma of witnessing Esther’s murder reportedly led to Mr. Adeniji’s death three hours later, according to Adesiyan.

In an interview with PremiumTimes, Olawumi said:

“So nobody knew their condition until the morning of that incident, when some people were alerted that they saw the corpse of a woman, apparently the wife of his cousin.

“His wife was killed along the footpaths in the bush, and they dumped her corpse beside the road. So, and that was the last we heard from them until very recently.”

Read also

How mob killed man wrongly accused of dog theft in Bauchi, police speak

Mr Adesiyan, a deputy director at the National Assembly Commission, also narrated his ordeals at the hands of the kidnappers, including being chained for 32 days and the killing of his wife in his presence.

Mr Olawumi explained that the shock of Mrs Adesiyan’s murder by the kidnappers led to Mr Adeniji’s death.

“It was Adesiyan that narrated the story. He said it was the trauma and the shock of how the woman was assassinated by these heartless people that got him, and then three hours later he died,” he stated.

Read more about APC here:

• APC leaders meet Buhari as Atiku, El-Rufai plot to sack Tinubu
• Plot to sack Tinubu: APC finally reacts to Atiku, El-Rufai's visit to Buhari: "It's doomed to fail"
• Atiku, El-Rufai, Malami, other opposition figures who visited Buhari: Full list unveiled

AbdulRauf Adeniji's killing: APC shut down headquarters

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the APC announced the closure of its national secretariat, known as Buhari House, over the death of its director of administration, AbdulRauf Adekunle Adeniji.

Read also

Peter Obi wades in as Nigerian authorities jail boy who stood in front of his convoy

AbdulRauf Adekunle Adeniji was said to have been kidnapped and subsequently killed while a N50 million ransom was being negotiated.

The APC national secretary, Ajibola Basiru approved the closure of the Buhari House on Thursday, April 10, adding that it will be effective from Monday, April 14.

Source: Legit.ng