Gunmen kidnap Senator Arise, demand N80m ransom

The senator who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District between 2007 and 2011, Ayo Arise, has reportedly been kidnapped.

Reports said Arise was kidnapped alongside his driver on Sunday evening along Okene-Abuja highway while travelling in his Mercedez Jeep.

Sources said the abductors had, however, contacted the family and demanded N80 million ransom before the victim would be released.

Arise was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatization between 2007 and 2011 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) but had since defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on which platform he hoped to contest the coming governorship election.

A family member confided in our correspondent that Arise was abducted while returning to Abuja from Oye Ekiti, his country-home.

The APC chieftain was said to have attended a ceremony at Ikere Ekiti on Saturday, where a chieftaincy title was conferred on a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin.

He later returned to Ado Ekiti and visited the golf course along Federal Polytechnic road before heading to his country-home.

One of his closest allies, who craved anonymity said: “Yes, he visited Ekiti State on Saturday before returning to Abuja. When we wanted to establish contact with him, we could not.”