Felix Akinde, a commercial driver who was kidnapped in Ondo state on Tuesday, has regained freedom.
A family source disclosed this to newsmen, saying those who held Akinde released him on Saturday after collecting a ransom of N500,000.
Akinde was abducted at Ita-Ogbolu, Akure north local government area of Ondo state, on his way from Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, to Onitsha in Anambra state.
“Thank you; he has been released. He was freed yesterday evening. If you see him, you won’t recognise him again. He was beaten mercilessly by the kidnappers,” the source said.
“N500,000 was paid to his abductors before he was released. Remember they once requested for N5m, they later reduced it to N2m. They called us on Friday again asked us to pay N1 million but we pleaded to pay five hundred thousand naira.”
He said it was one of Akinde’s brothers who dropped the ransom at a spot that the abductors directed him to take it to.
Femi Joseph, Ondo police public relations officer, also confirmed the release of the driver.
“Yes, he was released today,” Joseph told TheCable over the telephone without going into details.