…after five days in captivity
Abductors of Guardian Newspaper correspondent and former chairman of Federated Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bayelsa State Council, Mr. Julius Olusegun Osahon have released him from captivity.
Five days ago, suspected armed herders kidnapped Osahon along the Patani axis of the East-West road alongside other passengers travelling aboard a commercial bus owned Sunny Eru Motors to Delta State.
During the kidnap operations, the suspected armed herders had shot dead the driver of the vehicle and abducted Osahon and 17 other passengers.
But Osahon was said to have been set free on Friday night by his abductors, but the details of his release were not available as of the time of going to press.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, said, “Our kidnapped colleague, Mr Osahon working in Bayelsa State has been released in Ughelli, Delta State. He is in stable condition.”
Osahon’s Abductors, who had earlier demanded N5million ransom for his release, later raised it to N50 million.
It was learnt that the ransom for the journalist was raised by his kidnappers following media reports of the incident.
Another source, however, said that the kidnappers later reduced the ransom to N3 million during negotiations for his release.
Osahon’s wife was said to have told some journalists that her husband was in stable condition.
But it could not be ascertained if any ransom was paid for Osahon’s release.
