Kidnappers of Cometstar chairman insist on N220m
ransom
BY CHIOMA IGBOKWE
Two weeks after the abduction of the
Chairman of Cometstar Manufacturing Company, Sir James Uzochukwu Uduji by
unknown gunmen in front of his residence at 7th Avenue in Festac town, Lagos,
his abductors have insisted on collecting $1million or he dies. The minimum the
naira equivalent of their demand will cost the victim’s family is N220million.
His abductors were said to have laid
an ambush at 72nd junction along 7th Avenue at a bad portion of the road close
to Uduji’s residence. As soon as he was sighted, the gunmen deliberately hit
his car as in an accident scenario, which forced the driver to stop to
ascertain the extent of damage.
In the process, the gunmen opened
fire, shot the driver and drove off with Chief Uduji to an unknown destination.
Saturday Sun reliably gathered that
his abductors have since demanded the sum of one million dollars ($1M) as
ransom.
It was also learnt that the family
has been able to cough out and handed over N100million cash to the abductors
but they insist that the balance of N120million must be paid.
They are said to have suggested that
Chief Uduji should send one his family members to come and take his place in
captivity and he will be released so that he would go and source for the
balance.
All efforts to get the family’s reaction
to the development failed as they were strictly warned by the kidnappers not
to speak with the police or the media over the matter.
Investigation shows that unlike
previous cases of kidnapping in Lagos, the group of notorious kidnappers have
held sway in Lagos for years, especially in the Festac area of the state.
Their modus operandi is to
investigate and pick up individuals who can afford to pay huge ransom, ranging
from N50million and above. They normally confront their victims with details of
his worth and why he or she should be able to pay the sum or be killed.
According to a reliable source whose
family had a taste of their cruelty, they had to cough out the sum of N80million
before his uncle was released. “They held him for more than a month until we
were able to raise N80million. It was when they discovered that my uncle had
sold his land just to raise the money that they released him.
He has left the country with his
entire family. They picked him up at 7th Avenue during the day. We couldn’t
tell the police because their threats were real. They are too coordinated that
they kept monitoring every member of the family and giving us update. It’s been
happening; we were the first and others have been picked up same way after,” he
said.
Amongst those who have been calling
for his unconditional release were friends and associates of Chief Uduji who
on Tuesday gathered at the Federal Housing Authority Lawn Tennis Club on 22rd,
Festac town to pray and call on God to touch the hearts of his abductors to
release him.
Many see their gathering as unusual
as they normally gather at the club to socialize or use the fitness facilities.
Members of the club who also refused to speak to Saturday Sun because of
security reasons lamented that they now live in fear.
Some of them who confided in our
correspondent said it would only amount to suicide mission to challenge their
(kidnappers’) authority.
On efforts so far, the Lagos state
police command spokesman DSP Joe Offor said that investigation is still
ongoing to ensure the safe return of Chief Uduji.
[Sunnews]
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