Kidnapped Lagos Woman Freed After Family Pays $17,500 Ransom

KEY POINTS

• A Lagos woman was kidnapped from her home in a late-night attack by armed men.
• Kidnappers demanded ₦60 million, later converted to dollars, and negotiated through an intermediary.
• She was released after her family paid $17,500 ransom despite involvement of security agencies.

Mrs. Olanike Ogundare was abducted in the early hours of Wednesday from her home in the Oke Agaye area of Ijedodo, Lagos State.

Armed kidnappers reportedly stormed the residence around 1:00 a.m., overpowered the security guard at gunpoint, and took her to an unknown location in a well-coordinated operation.

According to sources, the kidnappers initially demanded ₦60 million for the release of Olanike. The demand was later converted to US dollars, an apparent attempt to make the payment harder to trace.

The abductors reportedly contacted the family of Olanike multiple times using the victim’s phone, with a man identified as Dapo Adeola acting as an intermediary.

It was also gathered that ₦5 million had already been paid before the final ransom agreement was reached.

Security Efforts and Final Release

During the ordeal, the family of Olanike sought help from security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), as well as local security stakeholders like the Oodua People’s Congress led by Gani Adams.

Despite these efforts, Olanike was eventually released only after the family paid a ransom of $17,500, according to a family source.