A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Rofiat Lawal, who was kidnapped along the Benin-Ore Expressway on Tuesday, has regained freedom after her family paid a ransom of N1.1 million.
Lawal was abducted while traveling from Benin, Edo State, to Ibadan, Oyo State, where she was set to resume at her place of primary assignment.
The kidnappers had initially demanded N20 million for her release, but after prolonged negotiations, they reportedly reduced the amount to N5 million.
Providing an update on the incident, Lawal’s friend, identified as Agbakwara, confirmed her release on Saturday.
“In the early hours of Friday, the kidnappers pressured us, warning that if we failed to meet their demands, we should not expect her return,” Agbakwara stated.
“In desperation, I reached out to everyone I could—her colleagues in school, the Muslim association, her friends from her hometown, my fans, and her family.
“Through the collective efforts and generosity of so many, we were able to raise N1.1 million, which was sent at 4:20 p.m. on Friday to an account provided by the kidnappers.
“The recipient, Isaac Ayo, claimed that his sister had also been kidnapped and assured us he would deliver the ransom alongside his own,” he added.
After several tense hours of waiting, Lawal was eventually released late Friday night and taken to the hospital for medical evaluation before reuniting with her family on Saturday morning.
“For hours, we anxiously waited. Finally, at around 10 p.m., we received the long-awaited call: they had been released and taken to the hospital,” Agbakwara shared.
“This morning, we got another call confirming that Rofiat was on her way home, and the others had also safely returned to their families.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed, shared the news, and tagged the necessary authorities. Your support made this possible,” he concluded.
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