Posted by From CHRIS AGUNWEZE, Port Harcourt on
A N500 million ransom has been demanded by kidnappers of Seinye, wife of the multi-millionaire oil magnate, Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs, who was abducted in the early hours of Tuesday after a fierce bombardment, which left one person dead and two mobile policemen seriously injured.
A N500 million ransom has been demanded by kidnappers of Seinye, wife of the multi-millionaire oil magnate, Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs, who was abducted in the early hours of Tuesday after a fierce bombardment, which left one person dead and two mobile policemen seriously injured.
Efforts made by Daily Sun to establish contact with the kidnappers yielded no result, but a source quoted the kidnappers as saying that they will not release the woman until the ransom is paid. But Chief Lulu-Briggs family's spokesperson, Mrs. Julia Jack, quickly debunked the claims, saying that the family has not receive such demand from the kidnappers. She was also quick to add that Seinye was allowed to speak to her family on phone by the kidnappers, but no such demand was made. According to Jack, no member of the gang said anything. Only Seinye spoke to confirm that she was not hurt.
When the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu, was contacted on phone, he answered from Abuja, but told Daily Sun that he had conflicting reports about the said demand, adding that he had directed his command to find out from Briggs family.
The N500 million naira demand will be the highest ever made by any group of kidnappers from either individuals or multi-national companies in the history of kidnapping in the Niger Delta region if the report is anything to go by.
The highest in recent time was N350 million paid by a multi-national company in Rivers State. The kidnappers of the said expatriates originally demanded for N200 million, but the negotiator described as a traditional ruler was said to have added extra hundred and fifty million naira for himself.
Mrs Briggs, an executive director with Monipulo, an oil service firm owned by the Briggs was abducted at her 17, Igbodo street residence, old GRA Port Harcourt, at about 2 am.
Last week, gunmen kidnapped a 17-year-old boy from his parents' compound at Abonnema, near Port Harcourt. They have demanded a ransom for his release.
Last year, more than 200 foreign workers were taken hostage. They were often released after a ransom was paid. The militants have in recent months been targeting family members of prominent Nigerians since the oil firms beefed up security in the region.