Kidnappers release abducted mother of Reps member

Member of the House of Representatives, Abiodun Abudu Balogun, representing Ijebu East and Ogun waterside federal constituency

 The 72-year-old mother of a House of Representatives member representing Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside Federal Constituency, Abiodun Abudu Balogun, who was abducted on Monday, has been released.

Balogun however attributed the release of his mother, Alhaja Obedatu, to the timely intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Our correspondent gathered that Alhaja Obedatu was released by her kidnappers on Thursday night.

Gunmen numbering six had on Monday abducted the mother of the Federal lawmaker, who doubles as the deputy chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Internal Security from her home.

The gunmen were said to have stormed the Ita-Otu, Ijebu Waterside Local Government residence of the mother of the lawmaker at about 9.30 pm on Monday and forcibly took her away.

But the lawmaker, in a terse statement sent through an e-mail on Friday, confirmed the release of his aged mother from captivity by her abductors.

The statement partly reads, “Hon. Abiodun Abudu Balogun has confirmed the release of his mother Alhaja Obedatu Abudu Balogun by the abductors.

“Hon Balogun and members of the family thank the Governor of the State his Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwai, the National Assembly, the security agencies, for being alive to their responsibilities, the religious organisations for their prayers and the ACN party leaders and all the good people of Ogun State.”

Abudu-Balogun declined comments on whether a ransom was paid before his mother was released by her abductors. The lawmaker stressed that members of his family members had vowed not to celebrate Sallah if their matriarch was not released by the kidnappers.


Source: Punch