The four wedding guests abducted on Sunday by hoodlums around the Isara area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, have regained their freedom.

Our correspondent learnt that their families, however, paid N7.5m for their release.

 
The hoodlums, who were dressed in army uniform, abducted the seven wedding guests on Sunday.

The victims were said to be returning from a wedding in Ibadan, Oyo State, when one of the vehicles conveying them to their destinations in Lagos State broke down on the road.

Efforts were said to be on to tow the faulty vehicle when the armed hoodlums emerged from the bush and whisked away the seven victims, three of whom were later released.

One of the released victims, Folahan Akinsola, said they were asked to raise N60m to secure the release of the other four.

An appeal to raise the funds was initiated amid threats by the hoodlums to kill the travellers.

Akinsola, on Tuesday, said his friends were released after the suspects were paid N7.5m.

He said, “We were unable to get the whole ransom they demanded, but we had to face them with what we gathered. We ended up paying N7.5m and they were released around 1am today (Tuesday).

“I didn’t follow them to give the kidnappers the money at the location they chose because I was advised that my face was all over social media. After they got the money, they released my friends.

“We already got back to the Divisional Police Officer in Isara to brief him. We also collected our car; but the faulty Toyota Corolla is still there. A friend of mine told me that some people we don’t know are taking advantage of my friends’ situation to post some account numbers to get money.

“We were the ones who raised the money alongside the company my friends work for, among others.” (PUNCH)