Paul Osuyi, Asaba
After about six days in captivity, a Delta State Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chike Onyemenam, has breathed the sweet air of freedom.
Onyemenam was abducted by a gang of gunmen suspected to be kidnappers who swooped o him at Otulu junction along the Benin-Asaba-Onitsha expressway, and took to their hideout.
He was abducted along with a junior lawyer who accompanied him on an official assignment. But the junior lawyer was freed immediately afterward, leaving the SAN at the mercy of the hoodlums.
A family source who confirmed his release to our correspondent in Asaba, said Onyemenam was let off the hook after N7.5 million was allegedly coughed out as ransom by his distraught family.
“The SAN was released around Ubulu-Uku axis after several appeals because initially they insisted on N15 million but later we paid N7.5 million before they released him; we thank God he was not hurt; as I speak to you now, he is fine,” the source stated.
The state Commissioner of Police, Adeyinka Adeleke, however, denied knowledge of the release, saying that he was initially not aware that Onyemenam was even kidnapped.
“I don’t know him; I don’t know that he was abducted, so I wouldn’t know about his release,” Adeleke said.