Retired Customs Officer Freed After Kidnapping in Osun-Kwara Border Area

A retired Customs officer, Emmanuel Owolabi, who was abducted by suspected bandits in Ora, Osun State, has been released following the payment of a ransom.

His release was confirmed in a statement on Tuesday by Yemi Farounbi, the Asiwaju of Ora-Igbomina and a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines.

A source involved in the release efforts stated that Owolabi was freed late Monday in a forest near Oro Ago, a community in Kwara State’s Ifelodun Local Government Area. The source confirmed that a ransom, amounting to millions of naira, was paid to secure his freedom.

Owolabi was kidnapped on December 15 after gunmen attacked the boundary community. His wife, Titilayo, previously recounted that he was taken from outside their home after she heard sporadic gunshots.

During the abduction, the assailants also shot and killed a local chief, Dennis, who was returning from his farm.

Initially, the kidnappers had demanded a N200 million ransom, which was negotiated down.

In his statement, Farounbi expressed gratitude to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, security agencies, and the community for their support during the incident.

He emphasized the importance of continued unity and strengthened security, particularly for boundary communities.