Benue: 20 kidnapped Tyomu residents regain freedom after N8m ransom payment
At least 20 individuals abducted from the Tyomu community in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State have been released after their captors reportedly received an N8 million ransom along with food items valued at over N500,000.
The victims, including women, were released Thursday night in a forest along the Otukpo-Ogbadibo road, near the Benue-Kogi border, following several days in captivity. Simon Igidi, a relative of one of the victims, confirmed the news to journalists in Makurdi.
Igidi stated that the group arrived back in Makurdi around midnight and were subsequently taken to hospitals for medical assessments and treatment. He noted that an elderly woman among the abductees had been released on the same day the group was kidnapped and returned to her home in Tyomu on Monday evening.
He explained that the other 19 individuals were released after the ransom was paid and the requested foodstuffs and groceries were supplied to the kidnappers. The group included eight women from Tyomu, three individuals from Vandeikya, and nine others from the Wurukum area of Makurdi.
In response to the incident, PureBioTech Nigeria Limited donated N1 million for the rehabilitation and welfare of the victims. Alhaji Abdulkadir Mohammed presented the donation to representatives of the Tyomu community at the company’s premises on Thursday. He emphasized that the donation was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility, highlighting the importance of addressing the humanitarian needs of its host community.
Additionally, Joseph Keffi, the Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, visited the Tyomu community and donated N1.5 million to assist residents affected by the abduction.
Despite these developments, Police Public Relations Officer DSP Peter Aondongu stated that the command had not received any official report regarding the incident.
