No fewer than 20 residents of Benue State have regained freedom from their abductors after their families allegedly paid N8 million in ransom and provided food items worth more than N500,000 to the bandits.
The affected residents were freed in a forest along the Otukpo-Ogbadibo road, close to the Benue-Kogi border, days after they were abducted from the Tyomu community in Makurdi Local Government Area.
A relative of one of the victims, Simon Igidi, confirmed the development to journalists in Makurdi on Friday, saying his wife was among those released.
Igidi said the victims arrived in Makurdi around midnight and were taken to hospitals for medical checks and treatment.
He added that an elderly woman was separated from the group and released on the day of the abduction before returning to Tyomu on Monday evening.
According to him, the remaining 19 victims were freed after the ransom and requested supplies were delivered to the bandits.
Meanwhile, PureBioTech Nigeria Limited donated N1 million to support the victims’ rehabilitation and welfare.
The donation was presented to representatives of the Tyomu community at the company’s premises by Abdulkadir Mohammed.
Mohammed said the intervention was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility programme and reflected its concern for the humanitarian needs of its host community.
Similarly, the Makurdi Local Government Chairman, Joseph Keffi, donated N1.5 million during a visit to Tyomu community to support residents affected by the incident.
However, the Benue State Police Command said it had not received an official report on the abduction.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, said the command was yet to receive any formal report concerning the incident.