CRIME Gunmen kidnap Kogi poly student, demand N10m ransom

Gunmen have abducted a female student of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Miss Adetutu Adebanjo, while on transit.

Adebanjo, who is a Higher National Diploma (HNDII) student, from the Department of Office Technology Management (OTM) of the institution, was kidnapped last Friday along the Itakpe-Lokoja-Okene road.

The student was said to be on her way to Ogun State, her home town, after her first semester examination when the incident occurred.

The Director of Students Affairs, National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), Comrade Salihu Lukman, said the kidnappers had earlier demanded for N10 million ransoms but later reduced it to N500,000 after repeated pleas.

“As I speak to you, negotiation is still ongoing. Today makes it the 4th day now and the poor mother of Adetutu who happens to be a widow can’t afford the ransom. We are pleading with the government and the general public to come to the aid of this poor child so that we can secure her release,” he said.

He said the matter has been reported to the Kogi State Police Command and that the commissioner of police, Mr Ali Janga, has promised to wade into it.

The abduction of the student was coming just when three officials of the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), Kogi State chapter, were kidnapped along Idah road in the state and are yet to regain their freedom.

When contacted, spokesman of the Kogi State Police Command, Williams Aya, confirmed the incident. He said police officers have been deployed to comb the bushes to secure the release of the victims.