A female student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, in Oyo State, Rachael Opadele, has been shot dead by kidnappers after collecting N5 million ransom to release her, on Tuesday evening.
She was killed alongside a hotelier, Olugbenga Owolabi, as well as one other person, making a total of three people shot dead by the kidnappers who have unleashed a reign of terror on Ogbomoso in the 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 Thursday, at Abaa in Ogbomoso. Opadele, as gathered, was a member of staff of the hotel founded by Owolabi.
Daily Sun was reliably informed that families of the victims and the kidnappers had agreed on N5 million ransom and Tuesday evening was fixed for the payment of the 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 who 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 hospitalised.
A source said: “The ransom was taken to a place dictated by the kidnappers on Tuesday night, at Ogbomoso-Ilorin Road, around the Igbon area. The kidnappers took their time to count the money to ensure it was up to the agreed amount and the money was complete.
“But their anger was stoked when they became aware of the presence of soldiers at the 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 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.”
