How the mother of Madam Ngozi Okonji Iweala's Kidnapped mother was released

 

SIX days after a 10-man kidnap gang seized Professor Mabel Kamene Titi Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, the 82-year-old retired professor of Sociology at the University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka, was released, yesterday morning, by her kidnappers in Benin City, Edo State, after collecting between N10 and N15 million ransom.

Suspect arrested

A young boy, suspected to have been used by the kidnappers as a "sacrificial lamb" to lead the old woman to safety after the ransom was delivered to them on Saturday, was however arrested by security agents to help them unravel the identities of the hostage takers.

Prof Okonjo flown to Abuja

Professor Kamene Okonjo was shepherded to her Ogwashi-Uku home by security agents, who kept the information secret.

Journalists, who kept vigil at the country home of the Okonjos, waiting for her to be brought home did not know when she finally arrived as she was already inside at about 1.56 pm when the reporters noticed unusual movements in some parts of the compound.

Unlike December 9 when she was forcefully taken away, she was gently led yerterday from the house, to a vehicle which took her to the Asaba Airport, ostensibly on her way to Abuja, to reunite with her daughter, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. She was accompanied on the trip by her son, Onyema.

The chartered flight that took her to Abuja departed at about 2.29 pm even as soldiers, the Police and Customs officials prevented photographers from taking pictures of the event throughout the duration.

It was gathered that because of the tense situation at home, her husband and monarch of Ogwashi-Uku, Obi Chukwuka Okonjo Agbogidi, who travelled out 24 hours before the queen mother was abducted, was advised not to return home yet.

It was learnt that security would be beefed up in the palace as more soldiers would be deployed to the area before the return of the monarch to Ogwashi-Uku.