Relief For Family As Kidnapped NWFL Player Is Released

Relief For Family As Kidnapped NWFL Player Is Released

By Admin 

Rebecca John Ihotu, a player in the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) who was abducted in Edo State last week, has regained her freedom after her family paid a ransom of N1.5 million, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Blessing Ojima, a relative of the former Oyo State Pacesetter Queens Football Club player, confirmed the development to FIJ on Friday.

Ihotu was kidnapped on February 27 in Okada, Edo State, alongside two other passengers when armed men attacked the vehicle they were travelling in. The abductors initially demanded N20 million from her family before later reducing the demand to N10 million.

According to Ojima, the footballer was released late on Thursday night after negotiations and the eventual payment of the ransom. Although she has not yet seen Ihotu in person, she said they spoke on the phone and confirmed her safe release.

“She is out. We paid N1.5 million,” Ojima told FIJ.

Ojima explained that the payment process involved the father of another victim who was abducted during the incident. The kidnappers had reportedly released Ihotu to the man and provided him with Ojima’s contact details to coordinate the ransom payment.

“On Wednesday, the father of one of the other passengers who was kidnapped with Becky called me,” Ojima said. “The kidnappers gave him my number so we could discuss how the ransom money would reach them. They insisted on cash rather than a bank transfer.”

She said the family used more than seven Point of Sale (PoS) terminals in Benue State to transfer funds in instalments to the man, who then withdrew the cash and delivered it to the kidnappers.

“I was initially afraid because I didn’t know him,” she said. “I first sent N200,000 and he called to confirm he had received it. That gave me some confidence that he could be trusted, and he continued to confirm each transfer.”

Ojima said she received confirmation of Ihotu’s release shortly after midnight on Thursday.

“Around 12 midnight, he called to say they had released her to him. He said he would take them into town and update me,” she said.

By early Friday morning, Ojima said the group — which included Ihotu, the man’s daughter and another victim believed to be a teenage boy — was travelling through Ore on their way to Onitsha.

She added that Ihotu later confirmed she was safe and was trying to contact the driver of the vehicle that was attacked in order to retrieve her belongings.

The abduction and eventual release of the footballer have highlighted ongoing security concerns on Nigerian highways, where kidnappings for ransom remain prevalent.