How I Secured My Release From Kidnappers – Ex-Senator Reveals

A former senator and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ayo Arise, has disclosed that he paid a sum of N20 million as ransom to regain his freedom from his abductors.

He revealed this on Sunday at the SS, Peter and Paul Catholic Pro Cathedral, Oye Ekiti, at a thanksgiving service on his release.

Arise who was held hostage by some kidnappers for six days, was kidnapped along Lokoja –Abuja road last December while returning to Abuja after visiting Ekiti State.

Recounting his ordeal, he said, “After my experience, someone was kidnapped and was still killed even after paying N25million twice, as ransom. So, how do you describe that?

“I can assure you that it’s not an experience that you’ll want to have. There’s nothing more frightening than for you to know that you don’t even know what would happen to you.”

He doubted if the kidnappers would ever think about engaging in other businesses considering the huge sum they get as ransom.

He added that he advised them to do a worthwhile business but the kidnappers replied that it was their bosses in Abuja that actually take the money and that they only get something small.

“So I have doubts in my mind that even if jobs are provided for those ones, would that be as lucrative as kidnapping one person or two people and collecting N20 million. That’s the fear, it’s like they have tasted blood and it has become very, very dangerous,” Arise lamented.

Expressing profound gratitude to God and the people who rallied round to secure his release, he said, “Between Oye and Ilupeju, they contributed N4 million within 24 hours. So that is one of the things that touched me to the marrow. My friends rallied round; the people of the town are showing appreciation for having a son that believes in them,” he said.

After the thanksgiving service, Arise shared his political ambition with newsmen, saying he remained poise that he would win the governorship election on the platform of APC ahead of other aspirants in the party.

“Going by the mood in town, the people prefer a new person than those they have seen in the past. APC wants to win the coming election at all cost and they need a popular candidate and they know I am the best for the job so that our strategy can work.

“The APC knows how important the July 14 governorship election is to members. They need to apply the right strategy and they know who is fit to be able to defeat the PDP, and that is me,” he said.