The woman kidnapped by a group of gunmen at the staff quarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in Plateau State has regained freedom.
The Commissioner of Police in Plateau State, Edward Egbuka, confirmed the release of Mrs Victoria Rabo to Channels Television on Friday in Jos, the state capital.
Victoria, the wife of a staff member of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) at the airport, was abducted from the FAAN staff quarters in the Heipang area of the state on Thursday night.
According to Egbuka, the victim was released at about 7pm a day after she was kidnapped following the pressure mounted on the abductors in the bush since the incident happened.
The NIMET official, Ayuba Rabo, also confirmed the release of his wife to Channels Television after she was reunited with her family.
He thanked the security agencies, as well as members and management staff of the airport for their concerns and intervention in securing the release of his wife.
However, neither the police commissioner nor the victim’s husband disclosed if any ransom was paid to her abductors before she was released.
Victoria was released after her abductor had contacted her family to demand the sum of N10 million as ransom.
They were said to have contacted the family through Ayuba who said the family members were struggling to get the money to secure her release.
Narrating his ordeal Ayuba said he had escaped from the abductors and hid in a nearby bush, only for the gunmen to abduct his wife.
During the attack, the assailants also invaded the apartment of NIMET manager at the airport, Raha Umar.
However, they were unable to kidnap her as she escaped through the rear door before the gunmen could gain entry into the apartment.
The vast and open land within the airport has been a security concern to members of staff residing in the staff quarters.
They decried the delay in the reconstruction of the perimeter fence at the facility following a security breach in July 2020.
