Kidnappers Demand N100 Million, While Police Seek N50,000 Bribe in Abuja Abduction Case

The family of Alfred Ahọn, kidnapped in Abuja on February 1, has accused the police of demanding a N50,000 bribe to trace the victim, while the kidnappers demand a staggering N100 million ransom.

Ahọn, a 60-year-old retired civil servant, was abducted in the Mpape district of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on his way to Lagos to visit his children who had recently gained admission to a tertiary institution.

His wife, Senami, and a neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, claim that the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) at Mpape police division requested the bribe, stating they lacked the necessary equipment for tracking and needed to involve the State Security Service (SSS).

Allegations of police demanding money before acting on kidnapping cases in Abuja are not new. Sixteen days after Ahọn’s abduction, he remains captive, and the police have not issued a response.

The kidnappers have reportedly threatened to harm Ahọn if the N100 million ransom is not provided by Saturday. The family suspects he fell victim to a “One Chance” unbranded taxi.

Despite reaching out to authorities, including the Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the family claims to face challenges in obtaining assistance, with Adejobi directing private communication and subsequently being unresponsive.

As the ordeal continues, Ahọn’s family anxiously awaits his release, caught between alleged police bribery and the demands of heartless kidnappers.