The police in Awka, Anambra State have told journalists how abductors of Pa Simeon Soludo, father of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Soludo, released the old man last night.
He was said to have been released at a location in Uga in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According to the police, the kidnappers had earlier called the Soludo family to inform them to collect their father late last night.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Oshodi Glover, who was in the family house this morning confirmed: “It is very true we have seen him (Pa Soludo) now. He is hale and hearty. He was released last night.”
One of Pa Soludo’s children told newsmen that the kidnappers had earlier in the day called the family to come for their father at the said location late last night.
Another of his sons told our reporter: “We are all happy that our father is released, but we are still sober.”
He said he was in town to ensure he undergoes a thorough medical examination, to confirm his state of health.
However, DCP Glover, while answering reporters’ questions, refused to confirm or deny the payment of any ransom to the kidnappers before Pa Soludo was released.
There was speculation that N200 million was paid to the kidnappers before the old man was let off the hook.The internet was abuzz this morning with such speculation. But no Soludo family member was ready to confirm if such money was paid. And the police also denied such ransom was paid.
The DCP confirmed that five persons have been arrested in connection with the kidnap saga while one of the abductors managed to escape.
As at the time of going to press, journalists were bared from speaking to Pa Soludo. His photograph was not allowed to be taken. The police insisted that he needed to recover from the shock. Visitors were not allowed to see or talk to him.
Pa Soludo was abducted by a five man gang of gun wielding kidnappers who stormed his family house in Isuofia in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State in a black Mercedes Benz car at about 7.30 p.m on October, 27 2009.
The kidnapers initially demanded N500 million as ransom but they came down to N300 million later. There were speculations that the old man was abducted by agents of the political opponents of Charles Soludo, who lost out when the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, decided to nominate the former Central Bank Governor as the party’s standard bearer in the poll scheduled for February next year.
The politicians however denied the accusation, accusing Soludo in turn for organising the kidnap of his father to paint the opposition black and evil. Last night, it was the former CBN governor who broke the news of his father’s freedom in a text message:“To God be the glory, my father has just been released by kidnappers. We are emboldened by this experience to dedicate our life to the service of our fatherland and to find lasting solution to the problem of kidnapping. Those who sought to break our will must be told that the wind of change in Anambra is unstoppable.”
It will be recalled that in 2006, unknown gunmen shot the father in the eyes when his son was in the final stages of implementing sweeping reforms of Nigeria’s troubled banking sector.
Kidnapping for ransom, which occurs frequently in Nigerian especially in the Southern oil hub has recently spread across the vast West African country.
Most hostages are released unharmed after a few days or weeks, often when a ransom is paid, yet in some cases victims are killed.
In the first six months of this year, more than 500 people were abducted across the country with 10 of them killed, according to the Police Affairs Minister, Yakubu Lanre.