Six Mourners Kidnapped While Taking Deceased Woman’s Body to Benue Burial Released After N2.5m Ransom

Six mourners, including the husband of a deceased woman, who were kidnapped while conveying her remains for burial in Benue State have regained their freedom after a ransom of N2.5 million was reportedly paid.

The victims were abducted at about 8pm on Friday while travelling to Okpoga in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state.

The husband and five other mourners were reportedly transporting the woman’s corpse for burial when gunmen intercepted their vehicle along the Adoka Road and abducted them.

During the incident, the kidnappers allegedly abandoned the woman’s corpse on the highway before demanding N15 million for the release of the six victims.

Sources told DAILY POST that the abductees were eventually released in the early hours of Wednesday after their family members reportedly paid N2.5 million to secure their freedom.

“The six kidnap victims were released in the early hours of today after the family paid N2.5m,” a source said.

The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the release but declined to comment on whether a ransom was paid.

“It’s true that the victims were released between Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday,” Ogiri said.

However, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Peter Aondongu, said he had yet to receive an official report confirming the release of the kidnapped mourners.

“I’m yet to get the report of the release of the kidnap victims,” he said