Esther Salifu
Adepoyigi was kidnapped on Monday at the entrance of his farm along the Ifon-Owo road in Ifon, the headquarters of Ose Local Government Area. The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N100 million. The family managed to raise N5 million, but upon delivery, the kidnappers detained the two men who brought the money, expressing dissatisfaction with the amount.
Subsequently, they demanded an additional N30 million for the release of all three captives. However, on Friday, the kidnappers killed Adepoyigi and released the other two captives.
Mr. Clement Ojo, the chairman of Ose Local Government, confirmed the death of the party chieftain in a statement on Sunday, describing it as “deeply saddening and utterly painful.” He stated, “While we are grateful that the two volunteers have now regained their freedom, it is deeply saddening and utterly painful that the life of Mr. Nelson Adepoyigi was brutally cut short by his captors.”
Ojo further described the deceased as a man dedicated to the progress of the party and the grassroots community, stating that he will be “forever remembered and honoured.”
Decrying the state of insecurity in the local government, Ojo said, “We are now at a critical juncture where security challenges have become a serious threat to the safety and freedom of our people. Only a few days before this incident, another resident narrowly escaped being kidnapped while parking his motorcycle. This pattern of brazen abductions, even at the very gates of people’s homes, confirms that insecurity has taken a dangerous and intolerable dimension.”
