Breaking: Abducted Edo Head of Service, Okungbowa regains freedom

The Head of Service (HoS) in Edo State, Anthony Okungbowa, has been released by kidnappers three days after he was abducted.

The source said the ransom was paid through collaboration between the family and the State government.

Okungbowa was abducted on Saturday evening by unidentified gunmen along Oza Road, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.

He was said to be on his way back to Benin City, the state capital, after attending an event in the community when the incident happened.

A relative of the victim, Ehis Nosa, said the HoS was released by his abductors on Monday night.

Nosa said the HoS was released after the payment of an unspecified ransom. He, however, did not disclose the amount paid as ransom but said Okungbowa was hale and healthy.

The family source said the ransom was paid through collaboration between the family and the state government.

According to him, “We just want to thank God that our brother has been set free and in good health condition.”

Mr Nosa regretted that the police orderly to the HoS who was shot during the process of his abduction died on Monday evening following complications from the gunshot injury he sustained.

“We are sorry to note that the police orderly did not survive the gunshot injury,” he said.

Apart from the police orderly, the driver to the HoS was also shot dead in the incident.

In the past few months, the security situation in Edo State has degenerated to an all time low.

Just last month, a younger brother to the Deputy Governor of Edo state Frederick Shaibu was kidnapped by gunmen while going to drop his kids in the school near Benin City, the Edo state capital.

The children were left by the gunmen who took their father away a day before his older brother was to be inaugurated for a second term as the deputy governor of the state.

He was later released by his abductors two days after while the amount paid as ransom was not disclosed.