SIX days after a 10-man kidnap gang seized Professor Mabel Kamene Titi Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, the 82-year-old retired professor of sociology, University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka, was released, Friday morning, by her kidnappers in Benin City, Edo State, after collecting between N10 to N11 million ransom.
Suspect arrested
A young boy, suspected to have been used by the kidnappers as a “sacrificial lamb” to lead the old woman to safety after the ransom was delivered to them on Saturday, has been arrested by security agents to help in their investigations on the identity of the hostage takers.
Prof Okonjo flown to Abuja
Professor Kamene Okonjo was shepherded to her Ogwashi-Uku home by security agents, who kept the information secret.
Journalists, who mounted siege in the country home of the Okonjos waiting for her to be brought home did not know that she was already inside until about 1.56 pm when they noticed movement in some the compound.
It was only then they found out that she had come back. Unlike December 9 when she was forcefully taken away, she was quietly led, yesterday, from the house, to enter a vehicle for the airport, evidently on her way to Abuja, to reunite with her daughter, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The chartered flight that took her Abuja from Asaba Airport departed at about 2.29 pm. Her son, Onyema, accompanied her. Soldiers, Police and Customs officials prevented photographers from taking pictures throughout.
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