Kidnappers Demand £100, 000 For The Release Of My Twins - Islamic Cleric Laments

The gunmen who kidnapped the two-year-old twin children of Oyo State Islamic cleric, Sheik Taofeeq Akewugbagold, have demanded £100, 000 [about N55m] for their release.

Recall that  the children, a boy and a girl  were abducted from their home in Ojoo Area of Ibadan on Saturday, 25 April 2020 at gunpoint.

Though, the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Fadeyi Olugbenga, said efforts are being made by the state operatives to locate the abductors and rescue the children alive.

However, it was gathered that the kidnappers have reached out to the kids’ father demanding £100, 000 [about N55m] ransom for their release.

 LIB quoted the Islamic cleric as saying;

”We have been contacted and we have been exchanging conversations with the abductors. We are begging them on a daily basis to reduce the ransom. They have asked for £100, 000 which is N55 million. Since then we have been begging them and I believe they will consider our plea.”

“The abductors speak good English meaning they are graduates. They were first harsh but later very friendly. It is very unfortunate. I am appealing to the government to wake up to their duty. If things continue like this, only God knows what will happen.”

Sheik Taofeeq said the mother of the twins who waited for 12 years before giving birth to them, has been terribly ill since the incident happened. She did a video a few days ago weeping as she appealed to the abductors of her children to release them.

”We have been moving their mother from one hospital to the other since that day while for me, I am just trying to control myself because it is raising my BP. I put my hope in Almighty Allah.” he said

The cleric said the abductors have also sent him pictures of his children ”looking sad”.

”They sent their pictures to us and we studied it and saw it was not photoshopped. The children looked sad. One was crying while the second one’s eye was swollen. It is an experience I can never pray for my worse enemy. I need my children” he said