Ekiti teacher's kidnappers want N20m ransom

The kidnapped teacher, Mr. Festus Oke, may return home afterwards, as his abductors have demanded a ransom of N20 million for his release.
A family source told newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, that the family members were contacted on Wednesday, two days after Mr. Oke was abducted.
When contacted, the Secretary of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, in Ekiti State, Mr. Olugbenga Ajibade, confirmed that the family had been contacted, saying “we in the NUT are also in contact with the family.”
According to Ajibade, “we have also learned that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N20 million and we have been confused since the development.
“We are at our wit’s end because we do not even know how to come about that huge amount of money. We do not even know how a teacher is expected to raise N20 million.”
Mr. Oke was kidnapped on Ise-Ikere Road, by unknown people on Monday. He was allegedly abducted at about 6p.m. by yet-to-be identified gunmen, who were said to have led him into the forest.
It was gathered that Oke had visited Ado-Ekiti from his station and was returning with his wife and mother, when the kidnappers intercepted them.
Meanwhile, police in Abia State have arrested two suspected kidnappers as they were trying to withdraw N500,000 ransom paid into their account in one of the new generation banks in Umuahia.
The suspects, Kelvin Orji and Ezekiel Nnanna, were alleged to have threatened to kidnap and kill one Eze Nnanna, who lives in Aba, if he fails to pay N500,000, into a bank account.
Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebade, who confirmed the incident, said that one Kelvin Orji was arrested at a bank in Umuahia, while trying to withdraw the ransom. He added that Ezekiel Nnanna, who is a brother to the victim, was named by Orji as his accomplice.
Oyebade said: “On interrogation, Ezekiel Nnanna confessed to be the sole person behind the threat to kidnap his brother; that he simply collected an account number from the first suspect which he sent to his brother to pay in half a million naira or risk being kidnapped.”
He stated that the suspects would be arraigned as soon as investigations are concluded on the matter.