Ajibola Areokuta Salawu, the Youth Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Oyo State, has said he is still unable to communicate with the abductors of his wife, three days after they kidnapped her.

According to Salawu, his wife Arikeade was kidnapped at gunpoint on Sunday evening when the two of them were about to separately drive into their residence in the Oja-Igbo area of Aremo, Ibadan.

“Her car was in front while mine was behind. Before we could drive in, the armed gunmen attacked us at the gate and whisked her away,” Salawu said.

“Thankfully, they didn’t injure anyone. I am still expecting to hear from them. All I want is for my wife to be safely released.”

On the suggestion of informing the state security agents about the incident, he insisted that he was not “interested in anyone nabbing the kidnappers”.

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“In the western countries, those things work. But here, I don’t believe the idea works,” he said. “The authorities, including the state governor, have invited me to a meeting over it but I refused. All I want is for my wife to be released even if that will cost me money.”

Kidnapping has been on the rise across Nigeria since January, with families of abductees often paying ransoms although both the state and federal governments warn against it.

Premium Times revealed that in mid-April alone, at least 239 people were killed and 44 others kidnapped in separate violent incidents across Nigeria. 

Adewale Osifeso, the Oyo State police spokesman, did not answer his calls or respond to a text message sent over this issue.