Abducted Federal Housing Authority Director Freed After Gunmen Received N40m Ransom, 7 Motorcycles, Bags Of Rice, Noodles

Aondo Ver, a Director at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), who was kidnapped four months ago in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has been freed.

Ver was abducted in February 2024 in his home, which lies some 200 metres away from a military base in Pambara Extension, in the Bwari area council.

The bandits reportedly arrived at his residence around 12.30 am, shooting indiscriminately and spreading panic in the area.

They escaped into the surrounding bush with the abductee.

Confirming Ver’s release to SaharaReporters on Thursday night, a security operative who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he regained his freedom during the week.

This was after payment of a ransom of N40 million by the victim’s family, the source said.

Seven motorcycles, an undisclosed number of bags of 100kg rice, spaghetti, noodles and sugar were also supplied to the gunmen, SaharaReporters was told.

“Recall the FHA Mortgage Ltd Director that was kidnapped, he has been released after payment of a very huge ransom. He spent four months in the hands of the kidnappers,” the source told SaharaReporters.

“He was released after payment of N40 million and seven motorcycles. The family also gave the kidnappers many bags of rice, spaghetti, noodles and sugar.

“Recall that the estate where the man was kidnapped is less than 200 metres to the popular Bwari military checkpoint in the FCT. We got intelligence report that residents have been living in perpetual fear since the incident.

“We, security operatives, were aware of everything and fully involved.”

There has been a spate of abductions for ransom in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, in recent times.