Security & Crime
Bank employee dies in Abuja after being abducted and paying N11m ransom
Austin Ilom, a worker at a commercial bank in Suleja, is said to have passed away after being kidnapped by kidnappers who were causing havoc in the country’s capital.
The dead was kidnapped from his home in Kubwa, an FCT area, near Abuja.
Joe Igbokwe, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), announced the news on his official Facebook page.
According to Igboke, the attackers, who chose Austin over Kubwa approximately three weeks ago, had wanted N50 million in exchange for his release.
He added that his brother-in-law, a senator in office, said he would not take any action until the bank provided their own funding for his release, and that his bank “refused to help him because he was kidnapped at home and not on duty.”
“In the end, he brought only 3 million, while his coworkers and friends raised a total of 11.5 million.”
“Days later, kidnappers called to say they should come and pick him up. They had taken the 11 million and asked them to go get the balance.”
The deceased’s family had gone to pick him up, but the Facebook post states that “shortly after he got to Bwari hospital, he asked for water, and before they brought it to him, he gave up.”
The Federal Capital Territory Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, stated, “I am trying to get information about this,” when called on Wednesday.
