Mrs Amina Audu, the former Chairman of Okpokwu Local Government Area in Benue State, has been freed by her captors. Audu and her driver were abducted on Monday by gunmen suspected to be armed herders along the Naka-Makurdi road.
In a telephone interview with City Round on Friday, Mrs Audu confirmed their release, stating that they regained their freedom between 7:00 and 8:00 pm on Thursday. She shared the harrowing experience of being with kidnappers, emphasizing the challenging conditions in the bush where the abductors lacked sufficient food, providing them only with pawpaw and garri to drink.
While Mrs Audu refrained from disclosing the exact ransom amount paid for their release, she mentioned that she had not discussed it with those who negotiated their freedom.
Some motorists expressed concern over the frequent abductions along the Naka-Makurdi Road, attributing the incidents to the poor network on the federal highway. A commercial driver named Adole revealed that many drivers have opted for alternative routes, such as the Makurdi/Aliade Road, due to the daily abduction of road users on the Naka/Makurdi Road.