#10M ransom paid for okonjo iweala's mother

N10M Ransom Paid
For Okonjo-Iweala’s
Mother
How Okonjo-Iweala’s mother
was released…N10m ransom
paid
SIX days after a 10-man kidnap
gang seized Professor Mabel
Kamene Titi Okonjo, mother of
the Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs.)
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at
Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, the
82-year-old retired professor of
sociology, University of Nigeria,
UNN, Nsukka, was released,
Friday morning, by her
kidnappers in Benin City, Edo
State, after collecting between
N10 to N11 million ransom.
Suspect arrested
A young boy, suspected to have
been used by the kidnappers as
a “sacrificial lamb” to lead the
old woman to safety after the
ransom was delivered to them
on Saturday, has been arrested
by security agents to help in
their investigations on the
identity of the hostage takers.
Prof Okonjo flown to Abuja
Professor Kamene Okonjo was
shepherded to her Ogwashi-
Uku home by security agents,
who kept the information
secret.
Journalists, who mounted siege
in the country home of the
Okonjos waiting for her to be
brought home did not know
that she was already inside until
about 1.56 pm when they
noticed movement in some the
compound.
It was only then they found out
that she had come back. Unlike
December 9 when she was
forcefully taken away, she was
quietly led, yesterday, from the
house, to enter a vehicle for the
airport, evidently on her way to
Abuja, to reunite with her
daughter, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala.
The chartered flight that took
her Abuja from Asaba Airport
departed at about 2.29 pm. Her
son, Onyema, accompanied her.
Soldiers, Police and Customs
officials prevented
photographers from taking
pictures throughout.
Prof Kamene Okonjo mother of
Minister of Finance, Prof.
Okonjo-Iweala
It was gathered that because of
the situation at home, her
husband and monarch of
Ogwashi-Uku, Obi Chukwuka
Okonjo Agbogidi, who travelled
24 hours before the queen
mother was abducted, was
advised not to return home yet.
As it is, security would be
beefed up in the palace and
security agents, including
soldiers deployed to the palace
before the monarch would
return to Ogwashi-Uku, a family
source confided in Saturday
Vanguard.
Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala thank
Uduaghan
Her elated daughter, Dr. Okonjo-
Iweala, reportedly called
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan
of Delta State to thank him for
his immense support towards
the release of her mother.
Saturday Vanguard also
gathered President Goodluck
Jonathan was alerted as soon as
Prof Okonjo was released, Friday
morning.
A source said President
Jonathan was also happy with
the news and commended the
governor for a job well done.
Negotiation for Professor
Okonjo’s release was carried out
by her son, Prince Onyema
Okonjo, who spoke various
times with the kidnappers on
phone between Sunday,
December 9, when she was
snatched and Friday morning.
Security agents monitored part
of the negotiation with the
kidnappers, but could not trace
their exact location until ransom
was paid.
…….
Vanguard confirmed if the
security agents were put in
confidence in the payment of
ransom to the kidnappers, but
it was obvious that they were
not, as the ransom was
dropped and coolly collected
by the hostage takers.
Finally, between N10 m – N11
million ransom paid
Our source was not emphatic
on the amount paid, but he said,
“Between N10 million and N15
million was paid as ransom”
We gathered that it was after
the kidnappers satisfied
themselves that the Okonjos
kept to their side of the bargain
that they released the family’s
matriarch on Friday morning in
Benin City. (57)