KIdnappers Threaten to kill 102 year Old Victim

THE six-man kidnap syndicate, which abducted Mrs. Okpa Izobo Omene (nee Udjor), the 102 –year-old mother of the Ovie of Mosogar kingdom in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Samson Okirhobo Moyin Omene, Udurhie I, last Tuesday, threatened to kill her, yesterday, if the family does not come up with N32 million ransom.

Former chairman of Ethiope West Local Government Council, who is a son of the woman, Chief Wilson Omene, told Sunday Vanguard on phone that the kidnappers, who first demanded N150 million ransom, reduced it to N32 million when they called the family, yesterday.

He said, “They called me today (Saturday) threatening that they would kill her if we failed to pay N32 million ransom. They started with N150 million, brought it down to N100 million and later, N70 million”.


A reliable source said the family had resolved not to pay ransom to the kidnappers and that Omene spoke tough to the kidnappers, telling them that his mother was already 102 years old and there was nothing they would gain if they killed her.

It was, however, learnt that the Omene family was smelling a rat in the entire episode, as some negotiators had already fleeced N100,000 from the monarch for the release of their matriarch, only to come back to ask for another N400, 000, claiming that their boss in Warri asked for the sum before the kidnappers would play ball.

A member of the family said, “We are suspecting some politicians in our area. The negotiators said they were sent by a politician to help us secure the release of our mother. Meanwhile, a politician, now in police net over the kidnap of my mother, facilitated the release of two suspected members of the gang, who were caught by villagers at Ugbomoya on Monday during a reconnaissance of my mother’s residence”.

One of the suspects later escaped, but the one in police custody with the politician has reportedly confessed his role in another attempted kidnap case after police analyzed the call logs in the phone he left in the car of the victim.