Kidnappers Demand ₦150m for Six Defence Ministry Directors as Families Cry Out in Fear
Story: written by Zara November 14,2025
The abductors holding six senior directors from the Federal Ministry of Defence have demanded a staggering ₦150 million ransom, deepening the anxiety and emotional trauma of their families, who say they have no idea how to gather such an enormous amount.
Relatives of the victims, who were seized along the Kabba–Lokoja highway on Monday, November 10, 2025, expressed despair over the kidnappers’ demands, pleading for the safe return of their loved ones.
“We are still traumatised by what happened. Now they are asking for ₦150 million. How can we raise such a huge sum? We beg them to release our loved ones unharmed,” a distressed family member told Daily Post.
The kidnapped officials — Mrs Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs C. Emeribe, Mrs Helen Ezeakor, Mrs C. Ladoye, Mrs J. Onwuzurike, and Mrs Catherine Essien — were travelling from Lagos to Abuja for a Directorate-level promotion exam when armed men ambushed their vehicle.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) condemned the incident in a statement signed by President Shehu Mohammed and Secretary-General Joshua Apebo, noting that the victims are union members and staff of Command Day Secondary School, Ojo, Lagos.
The union revealed that the Ministry of Defence has mobilised security agencies to secure the officials’ release. It also renewed its call for decentralised promotion examinations, arguing that forcing civil servants to travel long distances to Abuja exposes them to unnecessary risks.
Security insiders described the kidnapping as a “well-coordinated operation,” intensifying concerns about the safety of government workers on official duty.
Meanwhile, the families continue to appeal to the kidnappers to show compassion and free the hostages unharmed.
