Seven persons abducted at Nrobo, Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu State, on Wednesday evening, regained their freedom, on Friday, after the suspected kidnappers collected N500,000 from the affected families.
The suspected kidnappers who are still at large initially demanded N30,000,000 ransom but later settled for N500,000. The taxi conveying the abductees was coming from Nsukka to Abbi through Nrobo community when the occupants were waylaid at a bushy bypass by gunmen, forcing them down from the vehicle before they were taken away.
A member of the affected family who pleaded for anonymity said that a woman who was a victim is currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Enugu.
While reacting to the incident, a traditional ruler from Uzo-Uwani local government area who also pleaded anonymity suspected that some locals are collaborating with criminal elements from outside to abduct the people for ransom.
Although he said that the local government chairman, Chukwudi Nnadozie, is doing his best to secure the council area, he called for more collaborative efforts between the Neighbourhood Watch groups and other security agents to nip criminal activities in the council area in the bud.
A source also revealed that in May 2022, a couple coming back from the farm were also allegedly abducted by gunmen. Though the husband escaped, a huge sum of money was paid before the wife could be released.
This was coming two weeks after a teenage girl coming back from Nrobo to Nsukka was equally allegedly raped to death at the same axis.
