A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Rofiat Lawal, who was kidnapped along the Benin-Ore Expressway on Tuesday, has been released after her family paid a ransom of N1.1 million.
Lawal was abducted while traveling from Benin, Edo State, to Ibadan, Oyo State, where she was to resume her primary assignment. Initially, the kidnappers demanded N20 million, but after negotiations, they reduced the amount to N5 million.
A close friend of the victim, identified as Agbakwara, confirmed her release on Saturday. In a Facebook post, he shared a video of Lawal and recounted the distressing ordeal.
“In the early hours of Friday, the kidnappers pressured us, warning that if we failed to meet their demands, we should not expect her return,” Agbakwara wrote. “Desperate, I reached out to her school colleagues, the Muslim association, her friends, and family. Through collective efforts, we raised N1.1 million, which was sent at 4:20 p.m. on Friday to an account provided by the kidnappers.”
The ransom was allegedly received by a man named Isaac Ayo, who claimed his own sister had also been kidnapped and assured the group he would deliver the payment.
Lawal was finally freed on Friday night and reunited with her family on Saturday morning.
“For hours, we anxiously waited. Finally, at around 10 p.m., we received the long-awaited call: they had been released and taken to the hospital. This morning, we got another call confirming that Rofiat was on her way home, and the others had also safely returned to their families,” Agbakwara added.
Expressing gratitude to those who contributed and spread awareness, he emphasized that public support played a vital role in securing Lawal’s release.
