New Bride, Two Sisters-in-Law Regain Freedom After Paying N7m Ransom to Kidnappers 

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

After five  days in kidnappers’ den,  a newly wed, Mrs Rukkayat Musa, and her two sisters-in-law kidnapped from their house at Emir’s road, Ilorin in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State have regained freedom.
 Rukkayat and two sisters of her husband identified as Hafsat and Aliyah were reportedly set free by their abductors in the early hours of yesterday after the payment of ransom of N7million to their abductors.

 The gunmen in the midnight of Wednesday invaded the home of newly wed couple at Oniyangi area on Emir’s road, and succeeded in kidnapping Rukkayat, who celebrated her wedding about two months ago.

 While her husband simply identified as Mr Musa managed to escape, Rukkayat and the two sisters were taken away by the gunmen, who gained entrance to the rented apartment of the couple around Alaya’s Compound.
The kidnappers later got in contact with the family and demanded a ransom of N50 million before the release of the three ladies, a condition they said should be met by the weekend.

 Rukkayat was said to have hailed from Gbodofu compound located around Balogun Fulani area of Ilorin.
 Confirming the release of the ladies to THISDAY in Ilorin, yesterday, one of Rukkayat’sbrothers, who sought anonymity said, “They arrived Ilorin and called us around 2am today (Sunday) but their release was not for free. The family paid a ransom of N7million to the kidnappers before they were set free.  

“Though, the kidnappers demanded N50 million. We could not raise up to that amount and we started negotiations with them and we told them that we are a poor family and have no money. We cried and begged them before they accepted the N7 million that we raised within the family. The three ladies were taken to the hospital immediately for treatment and they are still on admission,” he said.

 The relative, who insisted that the incident was reported to the Police said the ladies were not rescued by the Police.
 He, however, appealed to the governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and all security operatives to save the people of the state from insecurity and incessant raid of homes and killing of innocent people in the state.

 Police Public Relations Officer PPRO in the state Police Command,  Mr. Okasanmi Ajayi said he was neither aware of the kidnap incident nor their release.
Okasanmi while speaking with journalists said, “I am not aware of the incident. Nobody told me of the kidnap of that newly wed lady.”