By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
A middle aged widow,Mrs Sefi Jimoh, who was abducted on Saturday in Lokoja, Kogi State by kidnappers, has advised her children and other Nigerians to put her in prayer for safe release.
A source from the family, who begged for anonymity, told our correspondent in an interview in Lokoja on Sunday, that Jimoh gave the advice on Sunday morning when the kidnappers gave her opportunity to speak with her children on phone, from an undisclosed place.
According to the source, the kidnappers have contacted the children during which they demanded N10 million as ransom they needed to release their victim , adding that the kidnappers had reduced the ransom by half.
The online publication also gathered that the victim has also appealed to her abductors to release her unhurt,being a widow and the breadwinner of her immediate family and other dependants.
Jimoh,an environmental officer with the kogi state civil service and a member of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church, phase 2, was kidnapped along phase 2 road after attending morning prayer organized by her church and was enroute Workers’ village, her residence located on Zone 8 road.
Our Correspondent,who visited the children of the victim at the Workers’ Village reports that many members of her church,those of her tribal meeting and other sympathizers were seen praying for her safe release and sympathising with the children.
Others engaged in soothing the minds of her children, giving them hope that their mother would be returned safe and soon, by God’s grace.
Some of the members of her tribal meeting who spoke with The Reporters in separate interview, expressed shock at what happened to her.
They described the victim as an easily going individual and peaceful and friendly, who could not hurt anybody,lost her husband some years back and has been carrying the cross of caring for her children alone.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO for the Police Command,Lokoja,SP William Ovye Aya, confirmed the incident.
He told our correspondent that the Commissioner of Police in the state,CP Edward Egbuka, had ordered detailed investigation into the incident with a view to rescuing her safely and healthy.
The effort, Aya said,was being done in conjunction with other security concerns; such as hunters and vigilantes, adding that some detailed police men had visited the residence of the victim to get more facts about the incident, to boost the success of their investigation.
