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By Amos Okioma, Yenagoa
Mrs Williams Koroye mother of a five year old girl kidnapped by an acquaintance simply identified as Ahmed on Thursday said that her baby remained in captivity after a ransom demand for N1 million was met
The toddler, Peace, was abducted at their residence in Akemfa 1 area of Yenagoa on July 10 by a family friend to the Koroyes.
Koroye said that although the demand for N1 million ransom seemed impossible due to the financial standing of the family, public spirited members of the public contributed and raised the money, but her child remained in captivity.
According to her, three days after collecting the ransom, Peace is yet to return.
She described Ahmed as a new Christian convert and member of her church.
She said that Ahmed had borrowed her phone earlier on July 10 and bolted away with it along with her daughter only to use the same phone to call family members to request for the ransom before the child could be freed.
She appealed to security operatives to intensify efforts to rescue the girl.
Koroye said that her daughter was abducted, while in the company of her siblings.
She said that she went for a church programme on the day the incident occurred but came back to discover that the little girl was missing.
She alleged that the Ahmed left the church programme after borrowing her phone for her house and allegedly tricked her children to gain access into house.
She said that he Ahmed had told the children that he was sent by their father to buy fuel, and took the girl along with him ostensibly to buy fuel.
“Ahmed who hails from Sokoto is our family friend, residing in our neighbourhood here at Akemfa 1, we trusted him and never thought he could do this to us he is well known and familiar with the children.
“We have been downcast, we were so surprised when he used my phone line to contact us to ask for the N1 million because he knows how things are with us, we do not have the money.
“Sympathizers rallied round and brought the money and gave him and today is the third day now and no word from him with regards to returning Peace to us.
“He is a member of our Church, The Church of God Mission, a new convert, who embraced Christ and the children know him.
“The past one week has been very traumatic to us, we are praying for the return of Peace,” Koroye said.
SP Asinim Butswat, the Police Public Relations Officer in Bayelsa, had confirmed that the incident was reported to the command
He said that the command
had commenced investigation and manhunt for the suspect.
Butswat said that no arrest had so far been made.