Kidnappers Threaten To Kill Housewife

Gunmen, who stormed Oshin Tek Estate at Ojuoro Phase 2, Owutu area of Ikorodu, Lagos and abducted a housewife, Mrs. Runke Solaja, have demanded N30 million. But there was a dangerous twist to the abduction saga yesterday as the kidnappers threatened to kill their hostage if the family insisted on paying N120,000.

The 41-year-old mother of two was abducted right inside her living room while watching film with her children about 8.20 p.m. on Thursday. Four armed men entered the community from the nearby creek and whisked away the petty provision trader. It was learnt that Solaja was the eighth victim abducted by kidnappers in the community.

A resident, who craved anonymity for security reasons, told our correspondent yesterday, that the kidnappers told members of the family during negotiations that they would use the N120,000 being offered to bury the woman. “My brother, we are like sheep in wolves’ den here.

You can see that we are living close to the creek. We are defenceless. Policemen and soldiers only visit here when anything of such happens. The woman in question is the eight victim of kidnapping in this estate.

The kidnappers have even threatened to do more. “We are marching today (yesterday) to the Oba of Ikorodu’s palace to ask why we were left so vulnerable in the hands of these kidnappers. We will also do the same to the DPO of Owutu and the Lagos State government. We want to understand why we cannot sleep in our houses but to keep hiding in the night for fear of these assailants,” the resident said.

First daughter of the victim, Olamide, said members of the family had been in shock since the incident and had not known the fate of their mother. She said: “They (the kidnappers) jumped the fence, forced open our door and dragged mummy on the floor. My daddy was inside then, but they only collected his phone which they are using to call the family. They left a machete and a pair of rain boots in our house.”

Another relative of the woman said the kidnappers had called all the contacts on the phone to raise money and free the victim. She said: “The victim’s father added N20,000 on the N100,000 we raised, but they replied us that the father would use the money to bury his daughter. This is very pathetic at this period money is difficult to get.”

Yesterday afternoon, scores of Oshin Tek Estate residents marched on Oba Sotori of Ikorodu’s palace to protest abductions in the community. But it was learnt that the monarch did not attend to the protesters although he gave them an appointment.

This, however, angered theprotesters, whoconcluded that the monarch was indifferent to their plight. “The Oba could not speak to us on a thing of this magnitude, it is so sad. We came in the morning, they asked us to come by 4 p.m. now we are here, but the Oba refused to speak to us. We are really disappointed. Our fear over insecurity is increasing,” one of the protesters said. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Olarinde Famous- Cole, confirmed Solaja’s abduction.