The Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest of Adeleye Ayomide, the primary suspect in the kidnapping and murder of Idowu Christiana, a 300-level student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State.
Christiana was abducted along the Ikorodu-Yaba Road in Lagos State on Monday, August 19, 2024.
A family source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N3 million for Christiana’s release. After intense negotiations, the ransom was reduced to N350,000, which was transferred to the kidnappers. Despite receiving the payment, they failed to release the student, resulting in her tragic death.
Speaking to PUNCH on Thursday, Lt-Col. Olabisi Ayeni, spokesperson for the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, confirmed Ayomide’s arrest by officers of the 174 Battalion.
“Yes. I am aware of the issue. We arrested him, and the 9 Brigade Nigerian Army will be handing him over to the Lagos State Police Command today,” Ayeni said.
In a separate conversation, Ibrahim Adeyemi, President of the Student Union Government (SUG) at FUNAAB, also confirmed Christiana’s death to the newspaper.
“The union can confirm that she was reportedly killed by her abductor. We will be addressing the matter soon,” Adeyemi said.
Christiana’s death has sparked outrage on social media, with many Nigerians expressing their sorrow and calling for justice on platforms like X (formerly Twitter).
Authorities are expected to provide further updates as investigations continue into the tragic incident.