Operatives of the State Security Service,
SSS, have arrested six of the abductors of Prof. Keneme Okonjo, mother
of the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala.
Okonjo,
wife of the Obi of Ogwuashi-Ukwu, Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, was kidnapped
on December 9, 2012 at the palace of the traditional ruler.
However, through concerted efforts of the combined security agencies in the country, the victim was released on December 14.
But in a bid to unravel those behind the kidnapping, arrests were made by the police, Army and men of the SSS.
Last
week, 63 of the suspects earlier arrested by the Army were released
unconditionally when their culpability could not be established.
A
competent source at the SSS told National Mirror yesterday that six of
the real suspects had eventually been arrested in Asaba, Delta State,
and might be flown to Abuja today.
The source also confirmed that
a N40m ransom was actually paid for the release of the 82-year- old
retired professor of Sociology.
Explaining how the suspects were
arrested, the source said: “The N40m, which was paid to the kidnappers
was marked money from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
“What happened was that the money
was paid on Wednesday by our men and by Thursday, two persons had gone
to the Nebisi Road branch of an old generation bank to deposit N15m out
of the money.
Because it was marked money, they were promptly
arrested. “Our men were able to track four of the kidnappers with the
aid of thetwo persons. Right now, we are on the trail of the remaining
four suspects.
“The six suspects are supposed to be brought to Abuja tomorrow (today) to face further interrogation.”
Asked why the operatives were not able to arrest the suspects the time they came for the money,
the source explained: “Don’t forget that as at that time the woman was
still with the kidnappers and they could decide to kill her if they
suspect anything phony. “Our major concern then was to ensure that the
woman regained her freedom and was not harmed in any way.
In
fact, that was the point the minister kept hammering to us. “She said
that we should do everything possible to secure her mother alive, even
if it meant paying whatever ransom the kidnappers asked for.
“If you know how this is done, once they came for the money, we knew that the game was up for them. We knew that we must get them unless they would not spend that money in Nigeria.”
Okonjo-Iweala
had shortly after her mother release said that the abductors were
unhappy with the administration of the fuel subsidy and SURE-P
programmes.
Okonjo-Iweala, who had recounted what her mother told
the family after her ‘miraculous’ escape from the den of the dare-devil
abductors, said: “I can’t give all the details because we don’t want to
compromise ongoing investigations. “But I can tell you one thing: My
mother suffered a great deal during this ordeal.
It
was only the Almighty God that rescued her from a situation that could
very easily have ended tragically. “Apart from the emotional trauma of
being violently taken away from her family and kept incommunicado for
five days in a strange environment, a woman of 83 years was left without
food for five days. “We give glory to God that she is alive today to
tell the tale.
While she was in their custody, the kidnappers spent much of the time harassing her.
They
told her that I must get on the radio and television and announce my
resignation. “When she asked why, they told her it was because I did not
pay oil subsidy money. They also said I had blocked payment of money to
certain components of the SURE-P programme.”
National Mirror
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