News Obiaks News

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, was finally released yesterday afternoon by his abductors, that was three days after he was kidnapped from his farm located in Ilado, Akure North Local Government Area in Ondo State.

The septuagenarian, who was abducted by individuals suspected to be Fulani herdsmen from his farm on Monday, was taken to his residence on Oba-Ile Road, Akure, the Ondo State capital, at 4.30 pm by a rescue team that was led by the Inspector General of Police (IG) Solomon Arase. It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier ordered Arase and the security agencies to rescue Falae, who was also once a Finance Minister. Additionally, he was a former presidential candidate as well as present leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The date of his abduction equally corresponds to his birthday.

On arrival yesterday, Arase led other police officers including the Commissioner of Police for the Ondo State Command, Mike Ogbodo, to comb the Government Forest Reserve close to Falae’s farm. The police were later to pick Falae from Owo, where he was let go by his abductors. Falae, who walked into the hands of his family and a jubilant crowd that had been waiting since morning for his arrival, wore a white caftan with a blue cap.

His neat appearance suggested that he changed to clean clothes after he was picked by the search team. The IG, who left Falae’s house immediately for Abuja, said the crime was a global issue. When asked about the operation, Arase said it was a security matter that could not be disclosed. After his kidnapping, the abductors had demanded N100 million ransom, which they later reduced to N90 million and N10 million by Wednesday, but the IG said no ransom was paid and the kidnappers had not been apprehended.

The Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who arrived shortly after the IG had left the house, expressed joy that the septuagenarian was returned safely. Mimiko said he and many other concerned people had expressed concern over the safety of the chief in view of the security situation in the country. The governor also charged security agencies to do more to tackle the growing crime rate in the country.

Speaking on his ordeal, Falae said he slept on bare floor for the three days he was in captivity. Falae, who looked rather frail probably due to the stress he had passed through as well as old age, said it was hellish being in captivity, particularly in the kidnappers’ den. In a brief recount, Falae said when he told his abductors that his family could raise N2 million only as ransom, they rejected it, replying: “Is it Boko Haram you are giving N2 million to?”

He thanked God that he had been released and he also expressed gratitude to his well wishers for their concern during the period he was in captivity. Other early visitors to Falae’s residence after his release included the National Leader of Afenifere, Rotimi Fasonranti, among sevral  others.