Immigration Officer’s Wife Freed After ₦2.5m Ransom as Security Operatives Raid Kidnappers’ Hideout in Lagos
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A joint security operation involving officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigeria Police Force has successfully rescued Mrs. Ladi Abel, the 45-year-old wife of a senior immigration officer, who was abducted along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway while on her way to the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos.
The victim’s daughter, Miss Naomi Abel, told reporters that her mother was kidnapped at Torikoh Bus Stop, Badagry, by armed men operating in two commercial buses. She said the kidnappers sprayed a white chemical substance that rendered several passengers unconscious before abducting about 15 people and taking them to a hideout in the Ibereko area.
According to Naomi, her mother later revealed that some of those abducted appeared to be collaborating with the kidnappers.
Mrs. Abel was rescued late Tuesday night at a swampy area along Ogunleye Street, Ibereko, after the kidnappers reportedly fled on learning that security forces were closing in.
Confirming the incident, Mr. Isaac Elijah, the Public Relations Officer of the NIS, Seme Border Command, said the rescue operation, which began around 11:45 p.m., involved about 20 immigration officers, 25 police operatives, and members of the Ibereko community.
He explained that the operation was led by Folajimi Akosile, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Badagry Police Station, who coordinated the raid on the kidnappers’ den. However, the suspects escaped before they could be arrested.
Meanwhile, the victim’s husband, Mr. Abel Mada, disclosed that he had already paid a ransom of ₦2.5 million before news of his wife’s rescue reached him.
“They demanded ₦3 million. I sent ₦500,000 in the afternoon and another ₦2 million later in the evening. I was still trying to raise the remaining ₦500,000 when I got the call that she had been rescued,” he narrated.
Naomi expressed gratitude to the police, immigration officers, and local vigilantes for their swift intervention, saying their efforts prevented further emotional and financial hardship for the family.
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