BY LAJU ARENYEKA
ABUJA — Five gunmen have kidnapped two female students of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State from their home in Karmo, Abuja on Sunday.
The girls, Ejura and Onekwu Opaluwah, were taken away in the booth of a blue Honda car with number plate, HR 152 ABC, in what started off as a robbery incident at 5.00 p.m.
Ejura and Onekwu Opaluwah
Speaking to Vanguard, an uncle of the missing girls, Mr. Amadi Opaluwah, said: “It was about 5 p.m that evening when five armed men came into the house and went straight to the room of the girls’ father, Mr Samson Opaluwah, an engineer. They robbed him of his valuables. As they were leaving, they took both girls and put them in the booth of the car.
“The abductors then called yesterday asking us to pay N200 million ransom, which they eventually reduced to N150 million.”
Opaluwah, who declined to give more information for fear of the girls’ safety, argued that the abduction was not politically motivated as the father of the girls, who is the procurement officer at the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, is a civil servant and not a politician.
He said: “My brother is not a politician; he has no interest in politics, so I don’t think there is any political undertone to this.
“We are pleading with the abductors to release the girls, they are innocent. Also, I want my nieces to have faith, be calm and patient. By God’s grace, they will be home soon.”
