Kidnappers seize trader in Lagos, demand N25m ransom

Gbadamosi

The police in Lagos State have commenced investigations into the kidnap of a 43-year-old trader, Mrs. Christiana Gbadamosi.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim was kidnapped on her way to her shop in Ikorodu area of the state.

According to police sources, the victim, who has four children, was kidnapped on Saturday.

A source said, “We learnt that on Saturday, around 7.55am, the victim left her home at Nurudeen Owolabi Street, Lowa Estate, Ikorodu, and was heading towards her shop at Ayangburen Road, near Oba Palace, Ikorodu, when she was abducted by some men.

“Some shops were locked at the time because traders were mourning the death of the President General of Market Men and Women, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji. So the area was deserted.”

The source stated that after the kidnappers had seized the victim, they called her husband, Mr. Mufutau, and demanded the sum of N25m.

The police source told our correspondent that investigations revealed that prior to Christiana’s kidnap, the abductors had attempted to abduct the victim’s 10-year-old son at her shop last Friday but failed.

He said, “We learnt that the victim’s son, David, was almost kidnapped last Friday at his mother’s shop. A strange man asked him (David) to follow him to a particular location but he was smart enough to turn down the stranger’s request.

“Investigations are ongoing and we will not leave any stone unturned.”

It was however learnt that the matter had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad at the state command’s headquarters.

When our correspondent visited the Ikorodu home of the victim, there seemed to be no one around as the main gate was locked and there was no response.

However, a neighbour told our correspondent that crime in Ikorodu had risen in recent times, adding that even the poor were not spared by hoodlums.

“We used to have many incidents of robbery and cult-related violence in the area but recently it seems kidnapping is also on the increase. We need security agencies to rise up to the challenge because even poor people are being attacked as well,” she said.

The state command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said she could not get the Divisional Police Officer to get the detail of police investigation into the kidnap. She however promised to call back.

PUNCH