Kwara kidnap victim dies after release

One of the freed abductees in the recent mass kidnapping that took place in Kwara State, Engr Ayodele Alabi, has died.

The deceased who was reportedly freed on Thursday night after spending six days in the kidnapper’s den died on Friday in a hospital in Ilorin “As a result of the trauma and injuries sustained from the torture of the abductors,” one of his friends said.

• Addressing the plight of the Nigerian worker
• ‘Why I left civil service for farm’

He has since been buried in his hometown, Osi in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State on Saturday.

The late Alabi was among the seven passengers kidnapped in a Toyota Sienna commercial bus by gunmen penultimate Saturday along Oke-Onigbin and Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

One of Alabi’s friends, Olabiyi Olabode who confirmed his death in a WhatsApp post on Saturday night accused the police and government of doing nothing to rescue the victims.

But reacting to the incident on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi rejected the accusation, adding that the command was fully involved in the rescue operation.

“We’re not aware that anybody died. We did everything possible to get all those kidnapped rescued and that is why some of them later called to appreciate our efforts. But if death eventually occurred, to say the police did nothing is definitely a blow below the belt’’, Okesanmi said.