Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
In Sokoto State, northern Nigeria, a family has been plunged into an agonising and sleepless ordeal after their relative was abducted and held by kidnappers who are insisting on a ₦100 million ransom before he is released, authorities and relatives say. The traumatic incident has left his loved ones struggling emotionally and financially as they pursue every possible avenue to secure his freedom.
The man at the centre of the crisis, identified as Adegoke, was travelling by road from Kano State to Sokoto State when the incident occurred on March 6. It was only after a concerned caller informed the family that Adegoke’s vehicle was found abandoned in a local community that they began to suspect he had been kidnapped. Shortly after, the kidnappers themselves contacted Adegoke’s elder brother, Tunde Jaiyesimi, confirming that their hostage was indeed in their custody and issuing the startling ransom demand.
In an emotionally charged interview, Jaiyesimi described how the news shattered his peace and plunged his entire family into distress. “I have not slept since the kidnappers demanded ₦100 million,” he said, reflecting the profound anxiety and helplessness that has gripped him and his relatives. He said the knowledge that his brother was being held — even as calls to negotiate continued — made it nearly impossible to rest or focus on anything else.
The family’s pain has been compounded by the sheer scale of the ransom demanded. According to Jaiyesimi, the kidnappers have been firm in insisting that the full amount be paid before they consider releasing their captive. He emphasised that Adegoke was going about his legitimate business when he was seized.
Matters were further complicated after a video of Adegoke in captivity circulated online. Though the family did not release the footage themselves, it quickly spread on social media and reinforced the urgency of the situation. The video was sent to Jaiyesimi directly by the kidnappers and served as painful confirmation that his brother was alive but still in their hands.
Efforts to raise the ransom have so far yielded no results, with the family admitting they have yet to gather any of the ₦100 million. They have been soliciting help from friends, well-wishers, and anyone who might assist, but nothing concrete has materialised. The financial burden of such a large sum presents a significant obstacle, even for extended family networks and community supporters.
The emotional trauma has extended beyond Adegoke’s immediate family to include his wife and children, who are painfully aware of his disappearance and the dire circumstances surrounding it. Jaiyesimi described the impact on them as traumatic, emphasising the profound effect the situation has had on his brother’s household, especially as they struggle with fear, uncertainty and the absence of their husband and father.
Despite filing reports with local police, the family remains deeply concerned about the pace and efficacy of the response. While police authorities have assured them that an investigation is underway and that efforts are being made to secure Adegoke’s release, there has been no public breakthrough to date. This has left the family feeling increasingly anxious as days pass without progress toward freeing their loved one.
The demand for such a high ransom — ₦100 million — is unfortunately part of a broader pattern of kidnappings in Nigeria where armed groups target travellers, commuters and residents, particularly in regions where security is weak and roads are poorly monitored. Kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative criminal enterprise in many parts of the country, and families are often left to fend for themselves in trying to meet the exorbitant demands.
In recent years, abduction cases involving high ransom demands have appeared with increasing frequency, from mass school kidnappings to individual travellers taken on highways. These incidents highlight ongoing insecurity challenges and the vulnerabilities of citizens in both urban and rural areas. Many victims are seized along major transit routes, where kidnappers exploit gaps in security coverage and leverage fear to compel compliance from desperate families.
For the Jaiyesimi family, the wait continues with growing desperation. With no ransom yet raised and time passing daily, their fear for Adegoke’s welfare intensifies. The emotional toll on them is immeasurable, and the hope for his safe return hangs in the balance as they plead with authorities and the broader public for support and intervention.
In the face of such harrowing circumstances, families like Adegoke’s underscore the human cost of Nigeria’s pervasive kidnapping crisis. Their story is a stark reminder that behind every headline about ransom demands and security reports are real people whose lives are upended by violence and fear. As the family waits and prays for their loved one’s release, the broader community is left to grapple with the pervasive insecurity that has come to define travel and daily life for many Nigerians.
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