Contrary to the narrative offered by the Delta State Police Command,Huhuonline.com has gathered that the freedom of Professor Mabel Kamene Titi Okonjo, mother of Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was kidnapped on Sunday at Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, was secured by the State Security Service (SSS).
Our findings reveal that the kidnapers, who had initially demanded $1bn as ransom, were finally paid N9m naira for her freedom. The kidnappers are reportedly in Benin City, Edo State, and they have been placed under dusk-to-dawn surveillance in the hope that they will be arrested soon.
“I want to use my share to buy a car, a Honda,” one of the abductors had said in a wiretapped telephone conversation relayed to our correspondent. And a security source who did not want his name in print said “these undesirable elements” needed to be taken “off the streets.”
Huhuonline.com understands that the money, logistics, and other support required for her release were provided by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.
The Nigeria Police Force was not privy to the negotiation with the kidnappers, hence the contradictory statement issued by the Delta state police command.” Our source added.
According to Delta State Commissioner of Police, Ayo Ikechukwu Aduba, Okonjo-Iweala’s mum rode on a motorcycle from Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area (about 50 kilometers) back to the palace shortly her freedom in the early hours of Friday.
Briefing journalists at the headquarters of the command in Asaba, CP Aduba explained that the sensitive nature of the octogenarian’s kidnap made the command beam its searchlight on obvious errors or lapses either on the part of the palace guards and the Divisional Police Headquarters in Ogwashi-Uku.
While palace sources said that the queen regained freedom without the assistance of anyone, the Police claimed to have stormed kidnappers’ den in Asaba, killing one suspect and inflicting bullet wounds on four other members of the gang who escaped.
He stated that the release of the victim was made possible by the combined efforts of the crack team of policemen deployed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and of men of the Special Anti-Robber Squad (SARS).
“The Delta State Police, supported by a crack team from IGP’s Special Task Force on Terrorism, Abuja, consciously and professionally, with due caution collated intelligence on the activities of the hoodlums and struck their hideouts in Asaba,” Aduba said.
He explained that the gang leader, Bolaji, and his gang members, alias Tse-Tse Fly and Tipper-Boy, were previously arrested and charged to court for the kidnap and murder of Obilink, a petroleum magnet in Asaba before they met their waterloo yesterday.
He added that the manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang was on and that the command would not rest until others are apprehended.
In addition, he displayed the items recovered from their hideouts to include an Ash-coloured Golf 3 car with registration number DELTA ASB 697 AA, which he said was used to ferry the woman out of the palace, and a white Toyota bus, labelled God’s Delight Church International, with registration number ANAMBRA KPP 64 XA.
Culled from hunolulu.com