The
traditional ruler of Iba Town, Oba Goriola Oseni admitted that his
family paid N15.1 million to free him after the kidnappers initially
demanded N500 million ransom.
The
monarch stated this on Friday, November11th, while giving evidence
before the Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere as the trial of four
suspects, who kidnapped him begins.
The defendants, Duba Furejo, Ododowo
Isaiah, Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh, who were first arraigned before
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo on October 24, are standing trial on an
eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, attempted murder,
robbery, armed robbery, stealing and kidnapping preferred against them
by the Lagos State Government.
The defendants and others still at large, murdered a security guard, Sunday
Eniola Okanlawon and a commercial motorcyclist, Joseph Okeke and also
attempted to murder the traditional ruler's wife, Olori Abosede Oseni.
Led
in examination by the
Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji
Kazeem (SAN), who led a team of lawyers for the state, the 73-year-old
monarch narrated how he was kidnapped by nine heavily armed men at his
palace while watching TV oat about 8pm, on July 16th.
"This is the king,’ the gunmen said. I
asked them, ‘what can I do for you?’ Then they grabbed me. I was in only
a boxer because I was preparing to take a bath. My Olori (Queens) came in and asked
them where they were taking me to but they fled when the gunmen released
some bullets in the decking of the room," Oseni told the court.
He further narrated how the gunmen dragged him out of
the palace and shot sporadically, in the process, killed his security
guard and a motorcyclist. They also shot at one of his wives.
"They
started pushing me and shouting 'trek, trek', till I fell and injured
my arm. Mt toe was also forcibly removed, so they carried me,"
The
suspects took him to a speedboat where he was driven away to a riverine
camp with about 50 militants. The next day, he was taken to a bigger
camp with six buildings and more of the militants. He said they demanded
N500 million
ransom but his family paid N12 million and then another N3.1million to
another group of the kidnappers, totalling N15.1million after he was
released.
The
Oba’s son, Prince Kazeem, who
testified as the second prosecution witness, said he delivered both
ransom money of N12m and N3.1m to the abductors at a canal near
Igbehinadun in Iba, adding that they negotiated the ransom from
N500m to N40m but they couldn’t raise that amount, especially after the
government refused to pay any ransom. The militants gave him directions
to the drop off point on phone after warning him not to tell anyone.
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