Students Protest As Gunmen Kill Hotelier, LAUTECH Student, Motorcyclist After Collecting N5m Ransom

A female student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso in Oyo State, Rachael Opadele, has been shot dead by kidnappers after collecting N5million ransom on her head on Tuesday evening.

She was killed alongside an hotelier, Olugbenga Owolabi, as well as a motorcyclist, making a total of three persons shot dead by the kidnappers that have unleashed a reign of terror on Ogbomoso in recent time.

The development also attracted protests staged by students of LAUTECH, which temporarily paralysed commercial activities in Ogbomoso.

Opadele and Owolabi were abducted last week Thursday at Abaa in Ogbomoso. Opadele, as gathered, was a member of staff of the hotel founded by Owolabi.

According to reports, families of the victims and the kidnappers had agreed on N5million ransom and Tuesday evening was fixed for the payment of the ransom.

 

Students Protest As Gunmen Kill Hotelier, LAUTECH Student, Motorcyclist After Collecting N5m Ransom

 

A commercial motorcyclist was hired to convey the person assigned to take the money to a designated place on Ogbomoso-Ilorin Road.

A family source stated that the motorcyclist was shot dead, apart from the two kidnapped victims, adding that the person that took the money to the designated place was shot several times, but native insurance made him escape death narrowly.

But he sustained injury and has been hospitalized.

According to the source, “The ransom was taken to a place dictated by the kidnappers on Tuesday night at Ogbomoso-Ilorin Road, around Igbon area.

The kidnappers took their time to count the money to ensure it was up to the agreed amount. The money was complete.

“But their anger was stoked when they became aware of the presence of soldiers at LAUTECH area, who stormed Ogbomoso on Tuesday, ostensibly to provide security sequel to the increasing waves of kidnapping in the area.

“Soldiers were deployed to Ogbomoso on Tuesday but the bandits thought we (family members of the victims) invited the soldiers and so they opened fire on the victims and the men who took the ransom to the place.”

When contacted for comment on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer for the state, Adewale Osifeso, simply said: “You will be updated accordingly.”

BY IYABO AINA

Publisher Of News Rain Nigeria