Miss Francisca Chioma, a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State, who was abducted, has been released after five days in captivity. Ken Chukwurah, the Chief Security Officer of the institution, confirmed her freedom on Thursday, stating that she was released following the payment of an undisclosed ransom amount to her captors on Wednesday.
Chioma, a student of the Science Education Department at UNIZIK, was reportedly kidnapped while on her way to attend a friend’s father’s burial ceremony in the Omasi community of the Ayamelum Local Government Area. The kidnappers initially demanded N10 million as ransom but later reduced it to N2 million after negotiations.
Her friends and schoolmates rallied to raise the ransom amount requested by the abductors. Chukwurah explained that Chioma and her friend were not the intended targets of the kidnapping operation but were unfortunately caught in the area during the incident. The kidnappers were reportedly targeting an academic doctor and another family member, who they believed would be traveling in public transport.
Chioma recounted that the kidnappers eventually abducted their intended target, the academic doctor, and transported them to Nsukka in Enugu State. Security agencies collaborated in tracking their location during the incident, and negotiations for the ransom amount continued until their release.
Tochukwu Ikenga, the Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, acknowledged the reports of the abduction but urged the victim’s family, friends, or witnesses to come forward with information to aid the ongoing investigation.
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