Three abductees who were kidnapped in Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State since June, 2025 have finally regained freedom after payment of N75 million.
A report in DAILY POST on August 4, 2025 said that Auchi residents, particularly the age groups of the victims, had raised the sum of N70 million for the payment of ransom for the release of the abductees.
The fund raising was consequent upon a viral video made by the victims who were three in numbers.
The report further stated that the age group went around the community to collect the money to complete the ransom.
The victims were reportedly released on Monday, August 11, 2025 after paying N45 million in addition to earlier N30 million paid to bring the total money to N75 million as demanded by the kidnappers.
Trouble reportedly started when one of the victims identified as Lukman was kidnapped in June and the kidnappers demanded the sum of N75 million ransom.
The relatives of the victim negotiated the ransom with the kidnappers and agreed on N30 million, but the two persons who delivered the ransom to the kidnappers were then also seized alongside the first victim, Lukman
The kidnappers were said to have demanded for the balance of N45 million, insisting that the earlier N70 million must be paid in full before releasing the victims.
The victims after spending over a month in captivity, however, made a video that went viral where they appealed to family members and other public-spirited individuals in the locality to come to their aid in completing the amount for the ransom and save them from being killed.
A local, who simply identified himself as Hassan, said the payment was made possible with the help of age-groups who went round the community soliciting funds to complete the ransom and get them released.
He, however, alleged that the kidnappers told the victims that they had informants who gave them information about individuals to kidnap.
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