Police arrest 3 suspected kidnappers of AAUA staff while sharing ransom

Security operatives have arrested three suspected kidnappers linked to the abduction of Omoniyi Eleyinmi, a staff member of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), in Ondo State.

The suspects were reportedly caught in the early hours of Monday while allegedly sharing the ransom paid by Eleyinmi’s family for his release.

This arrest comes less than 24 hours after the university staff regained his freedom, following the payment of an undisclosed sum to secure his release.

In a viral video posted on social media, it was gathered that the suspects were nabbed inside a thick forest in Ago Panu, a village and settlement between the Oba Akoko and Owo area of the state.

It is not immediately clear if they were nabbed by security agencies or local hunters.

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Olayinka Ayanlade, the spokesman for the Ondo state Police Command, could not immediately be reached for comments when contacted by our reporter.

A text message seeking reactions over the update was yet to be delivered as of the time of filing this report.

Eleyinmi, a faculty officer in the department of education at the AAUA, was released by his captors on Sunday, nearly a week after his abduction.

A colleague of the university staff, who pleaded anonymity, had confirmed his release via a phone.

Also, a family source who spoke in confidence disclosed that Eleyinmi was freed after the payment of a substantial ransom.

Recall that the victim was abducted last Monday while returning to his Supare-Akoko residence from work.

He was seized by the gunmen, who had laid an ambush at his home, firing sporadically as he stepped down from a commercial motorcycle, which he rode home from the office, before whisking him away.

Sources said the kidnappers initially demanded N100 million from the family but later reduced it to N7 million after negotiations.

Moved by the development, the AAUA Alumni Association – of which Eleyinmi is a member – immediately launched an appeal for donations to raise the ransom.

The association’s Global Publicity Secretary, O’Seun Ogunsakin, asked the members and Nigerians to donate within 24 hours to secure his release, providing a Polaris Bank account for contributions.

“Distinguished Alumni, I am sure that the majority of you must have heard the news of the kidnapping of one of us, Niyi Eleyinmi, who is the Faculty Officer of the Faculty of Education, AAUA.

“Eleyinmi was kidnapped on Monday, and the kidnappers have demanded a sum of seven million Naira (N7,000,000). It is on this note that I want to passionately appeal to you to donate towards securing the safe release of Niyi from his captors,” he said in a statement.