Akure: Abductors of the seven farmers in Itaogbolu, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, have reduced the ransom from N100 million to N20 million.
The victims were working on their farmland on Saturday when gunmen suspected to be kidnappers launched an attack and whisked them away.
The kidnappers on Sunday reached out to the families of the victims, demanding a ransom of N100 million for the release of their captives.
A relative of one of the abductees, who prefers anonymity, disclosed on Wednesday in Akure that the kidnappers had reduced the ransom after several appeals.
“The kidnappers have reduced the ransom from N100 million to N20million. They contacted one of the family members and reduced the ransom to N20 million.
“They threatened to kill one of the victims if we failed to raise the money on time. So far, the victims’ families have raised N5 million, but negotiation is still going on,” he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, stated on Wednesday in Akure that efforts were underway to rescue the victims.
He said: “None of the victims has been rescued, our men are still working with other security agencies in the state to ensure they are rescued unhurt.”
