Barr Peace Onyesom, a called-to-the-bar lawyer, and her sister Gift Onyesom, who were kidnapped on the Okene-Auchi Road on Friday, have been released.
The victims’ brother, Godspower Onyesom, confirmed their release to a PUNCH Metro correspondent over the phone on Tuesday.
Chronicle NG reports that attended the Nigerian Law School’s call-to-the-bar ceremony on September 23.
She was returning to Benin, Edo State, with her sister when they were kidnapped.
Adaeze Onyesom, the victims’ sister, revealed in an exclusive interview that the abductors demanded a ransom of N40 million.
She stated that the kidnappers contacted the family on Friday, wanting an amount of N100 million, which they requested to be reduced.
Adaeze said, “When they (the kidnappers) contacted us on Friday evening, they told us that we should bring N100m, but we told them we cannot get such an amount, and we pleaded with them. On Saturday, they called back and reduced it to N20m, but we told them we can only raise N3m, but they declined.
“After a while, they called us back to say that they are not collecting anything less than N20m for each person, which is N40m for the two of them. We appealed that it is only N7m that we could raise, but they did not agree.
She had also expressed concern that the situation had caused misery in the family, prompting them to sell properties to raise the ransom.
Godspower confirmed her release, saying, “She has been released.” “She’s back home.”
In an accompanying video transmitted to our correspondent, Peace thanked everyone who had rushed to her aid while claiming that the military had saved them.
She said, “Thank you, everyone. My sister and I have been rescued. The military in Okpella has rescued us.”
In the same vein, an ex-aide to the Delta State Governor, Harrisson Gwanishu, confirmed in a Facebook post on Tuesday that Peace and her sister had been released.
Gwamnishu wrote, “Peace Onyesom and Gift Onyesom, kidnapped while returning from the call to ceremony in Abuja, have just been released to us near a village in Okpella. It is a tough journey.”
The Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a post on his X page on Sunday, disclosed that eight of the abducted persons were rescued.
