Kidnappers free Bayelsa night club owner, detain wife, father-in-law for paying ‘incomplete ransom’
A 43-year-old night club owner in Bayelsa State who was kidnapped back on Wednesday, July 28, this year, has regained his freedom, even as his abductors have now detained his wife and father- in-law, pending the completion of the full ransom originally agreed upon but was short when allegedly paid for his freedom.
Both wife and father had reportedly gone to meet the abductors with the ransom money in the neighbouring Rivers State, but when it was discovered the sum fell short of expectation, the kidnappers detained them while freeing the initially kidnapped night club owner.
The night club owner named Tari Ajanami hails from Ayamasa in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.
Ajanami was kidnapped at about 6pm on Wednesday from his building site along Otiotio Road in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.
Ajanami’s kidnapping followed that of the octogenarian mother of the Secretary to the Bayelsa State government, Rt. Hon. Friday Konbowei Benson who was whisked away from her son’s residence, at the Legislative Quarters, Opolo in Yenagoa, two weeks earlier by gunmen.
Ajanami who owns Club 64, a popular night club situated along the Bay bridge area in Yenagoa, also works as a Cash Officer with Wema Bank Nig Ltd.
Sources disclosed to our correspondent that the victim was trailed to his building site by the gunmen where he went to pay his workers.
Some analysts also point to the recent lavish birthday party he was said to have celebrated as something that gave him away to the gunmen.
The police Public Relations Officer in the state, Asinim Batswat, (SP) who confirmed the development said that all operatives of the command have been put on alert to be on the trail of the gunmen.
Bautswat said, “On 28 July, 2021 at about 2100 hrs, three armed men kidnapped one Oyintari Ajanami “m” 43 years old at Otiotio, Yenagoa.
“All operatives have been alerted and are on the trail of the suspects”
However, in twist, Ajanami’s family raised the sum of N15m as ransom to be hand-delivered to the abductors on Thursday, August 5, 2021.
However, sources familiar with the matter disclosed that the kidnappers had allegedly complained that the ransom was less than what was demanded. They claimed that they had insisted on the sum of N200m for the release of Ajanami.
Consequently, the sources revealed that the kidnappers had detained Ajanami’s wife and her father due to the shortfall.
The wife, 38, was identified as Christiana while her father is 75 years old.
Further, the sources reveal that the latest abduction occurred in Ahoada, headquarters of the Ahoada-East Local Government Area of Rivers State, at an exchange point where Ajanami was set free.
Ajanami’s wife is said hypertensive and on medication, as it is feared that if without her medication, could die.
