Pascal Arogorn Ibe
It was cheering news among top civil servants in Edo State, on Monday evening, as news filtered in that kidnapped Head of Service( HoS), Mr Anthony Okungbowa, has been released.
A source from the Edo State Service Commission disclosed the Okungbowa was released by his abductors unhurt.
A terse WhatsApp Application message circulated among the civil servants around 9.13 pm on Monday read: “Breaking…
kidnapped HOS regained freedom unhurt. To God be the glory.”
A family source, who spoke on condition of anonymity also confirmed the development, saying that Okungbowa was released after the ransom demanded by his abductors was paid.
While the family source withheld the actual sum of money paid to buy the HoS’ freedom, he, however, volunteered that the money was sourced between the family and the state government.
“The most important thing is that he (Okungbowa) has been released and he is hale and hearty. We just want to thank God that our brother has been set free and in good health condition,” said the source enthused.
The source equally revealed 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.
Okungbowa, it would be recalled, was on Saturday evening abducted by suspected kidnappers, who killed his official driver, along Oza Road, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.
He was returning to Benin after attending a church thanksgiving service organised in honour of Governor Godwin Obaseki, by the Director-General of the Edo House of Assembly, Mr Festus Osaigbovo, when the incident happened.
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