A N100 million ransom has been requested by the kidnappers of Terwase Orbunde, a former chief of staff to the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, and his wife, Mrs. Abigail Orbunde, and housemaid, Patience Ogute.
A close ally of Orbunde, Tahav Argezua, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
Orbunde, alongside his wife and the housemaid, was attacked when they had gone to inspect his farm located close to the Genocide Cemetery along Mobile Barracks-Welfare Quarters Road in Makurdi, the state capital at about 6 pm on Friday.
Argezua said, “The abductors of wife and cook of former Chief of Staff to the Benue State Governor, Terwase Orbunde, yesterday evening have demanded N100m ransom for their release.”
He added that Orbunde, who is being treated for gunshot injuries in an undisclosed hospital in Makurdi, said the abductors spoke to him at about 8:30 am on Saturday through the captives.
Argezua added, “The former Chief of Staff said his wife and cook were very calm when they spoke with him.
“He revealed that during the attack, which took place at about 6 pm yesterday, the gunmen spoke Fulani among themselves and communicated with him in Hausa, saying they would contact him on the phone.
“The former Chief of Staff said they told him that he should be prepared to send money to them and that if he failed to do that, they would kill his wife and cook.”