Forty-eight hours after their abduction, the four timber dealers, who were kidnapped by gunmen in Edo State have regained their freedom.
The four timber dealers and a female trader were abducted in Ikakumo Akoko, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State on Saturday.
The male victims were said to be indigenes of Akunu and Ikare Akoko in the Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State.
They were reportedly kidnapped while returning from a business trip to Edo State when the lorry in which they were travelling in broke down on the road.
A source said hours after the abduction, the kidnappers contacted the victims’ families and demanded N5m ransom, but their families begged them to reduce the amount.
However, the amount that was eventually paid by the families of the victims could not be ascertained.
“The timber dealers were released this morning (Monday) after the payment of an undisclosed amount of money as ransom to the kidnappers,” the source stated.
The Police Area Commander for Ikare Akoko, Mr Razak Rauf, said he could not speak much about the incident as it did not happen in the jurisdiction of the Ondo State Police Command.
He, however, stated that the command would not relent in its efforts to protect the residents of the state.