After spending nearly a week in captivity, a well-known businessman in Owo, Mr. Tope Faji, popularly called Jaja, has been released along with his wife, Faji Nireti, and their youngest daughter, Zainab.
The family was abducted by unidentified gunmen in front of their home along Ipele Road, in Owo, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. Their release comes after days of uncertainty and negotiations with the kidnappers.
According to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the abductors collected a ransom of N17 million before setting the family free. “They collected N17 million before releasing Jaja, his wife, and daughter. Right now, they are receiving medical treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo because the kidnappers subjected them to severe torture,” the source revealed.
Recounting how the abduction happened, the source explained that they were together on Friday, observing a fast. “That day, we were all at his wife’s shop, spending time together before going our separate ways. Later, I got a distress call from one of his sons, informing me that his father, mother, and sister had been kidnapped. We immediately rushed to Tope’s house,” the source said.
The businessman’s son, who witnessed the attack, narrowly escaped. “He had stepped out of the car to open the gate when the kidnappers struck. He managed to escape while they took his parents and sister away,” the source added.
Initially, the kidnappers demanded N30 million but later reduced it to N20 million before finally accepting N17 million. The incident has raised fresh concerns about security in the area, with residents calling on the authorities to step up efforts in combating crime and kidnapping in Ondo State.