After been held captive for a month, 10 people including an 11 year old boy were set free by their abductors after ransom was suspected to have been paid.
An 11 year old boy and 9 other people kidnapped in Ekiti a month ago, were released by their captors in the early hours of Saturday, family sources and police said.
The freed captives include Folasade Alade, Femi Omisore, Kikielomo Adegun and a nurse, Margret Aladeneka.
The victims, who were kidnapped at different locations within the state, included two lecturers at the Ekiti State University.
A family member of one of the victims, Nike Aina, said the victims were released after their families had paid ransom which she did not disclose the amount paid.
Also, a brother of one of the victims, Tokunbo Olofin, said, “My sister called me around 7 a.m. on Saturday, telling me they have been released”.
“She used one of the villagers’ phone to call. We have seen them, we thank God for his faithfulness,” Mr. Olofin said.
He said the victims were taken to hospitals for treatment by their families after the police arrived at the scene.
Mr. Olofin also said the police advised the victims to wait for the arrival of the state governor, Ayodele Fayose, but the relations hurriedly took them to hospitals for examination.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian police has issued a statement saying the victims were rescued by the police.
The police spokesperson, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the victims were “successfully rescued by the police”, and that they were receiving medical attention.
Mr. Ojukwu said some of the kidnappers were arrested.
He said the development was the result of a decision of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to deploy a crack team of operatives to Ekiti State to stem the rising tide of kidnapping.