Senator Ayo Arise from Ekiti State who was kidnapped last Sunday as well as former sports minister, Damishi Sango, have both regained their freedom. A
Senator Ayo Arise from Ekiti State who was kidnapped last Sunday as well as former sports minister, Damishi Sango, have both regained their freedom. Arise, a governorship aspirant under the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ekiti state, regained his freedom on Friday night while Damishi Sango regained his on Sunday night. The President of Oye Ekiti Progressives Union (OPU), an umbrella association of the indigenes of Oye, Mr Akin Omole, confirmed the release of the former senator and expressed gratitude to God and well-meaning individuals, who rallied around the community during the dark hours.
Details of how Senator Arise was released have been sketchy even as reports had it that his hometown, Oye Ekiti was already engulfed in wide jubilation over his release. It could not be ascertained whether he was released in Kogi state, where he was reportedly kidnapped, and if any ransom was paid. Arise, who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District from 2007 to 2011, was kidnapped on Sunday along with his driver when he was returning to Abuja after attending a function at home.
Senator Ayo Arise
Also former Minister of Sports and the Plateau State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Damishi Sango, and others, one of the PDP elders in Plateau State, Chief Emmanuel Mangni, Damishi Sango’s son, his driver and police orderly, have all regained their freedom after they were kidnapped less than 48 hours to the PDP national convention. They regained their freedom on Sunday.
The kidnappers had demanded N100m ransom which they later reduced to N50m. While Mangni was said to be the coordinator of Secondus’ chairmanship bid, other victims of the kidnappers are Sango’s son, his driver and his police orderly. They were kidnapped on Wednesday in Jere, in Kaduna State, while on their way to Abuja. The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, dispatched three specialised squads to rescue Sango and others.
The Publicity Secretary of PDP in Plateau State, John Akans, confirmed the release of the five victims on Sunday.
“The Plateau State Chairman of the PDP, Damishi Sango, and others have been released. They regained their freedom this (Sunday) evening; they are all at home in Abuja. No ransom was paid; they were unconditionally released because Plateau State PDP doesn’t have money to pay ransom.”
