Gunmen who abducted eight residents of Imoga in Edo North on Friday and requested a N100m ransom have reduced their demand to N40m.

The Okpahi of Imoga Kingdom, Oba Patrick Abudu, disclosed this during a telephone interview with PUNCH Metro on Tuesday.

The kidnappers had on Monday reduced the ransom from N100m to N70m.

The monarch said negotiations were still ongoing to further reduce the ransom to N20m.

Speaking on how the ransom would be raised, he stated that all stakeholders and members of the community were on standby to raise the money as soon as a final agreement was reached with the kidnappers.

He said he had been unable to travel out of the kingdom to attend to pressing issues due to the abduction of his subjects.

He said, “We have continued to negotiate with the kidnappers, and they have agreed to reduce the ransom to N40m. But we hope they can bring it down to N20m.

“Our people are on standby to raise the money for the ransom, and payment will be made as soon as the cash is complete.

“We are worried about the safety of our people, as it has been five days since they were kidnapped.”

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers had earlier demanded N100m for the release of eight Imoga indigenes abducted on Friday night.

Oba Abudu, who disclosed this on Monday in a telephone conversation, said the victims were kidnapped at Star Boy Hotel on the Imoga-Ibillo Road in Edo North.

He stated that the victims had gone to Ibillo for a function and decided to lodge overnight at the Star Boy Hotel, which also belongs to an indigene of Imoga.

The monarch said the kidnappers arrived at the hotel in army uniforms, bringing drinks and pretending to be waiting for someone.

He noted that after a while, the kidnappers accosted the hotel owner and seized his two phones. He added that they also seized the phones of the others, tied their hands, and led them into the bush on foot. (The PUNCH)

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