Mrs. Olanike Ogundare, who was kidnapped from her residence in the Ijedodo area of Lagos State, has been released by her abductors. A family source confirmed her freedom on Saturday, following a harrowing ordeal that began earlier this week.

Details of the Incident

The abduction occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday at Mrs. Ogundare’s residence on Olufemi Ogundare Street, located in the Oke Agaye neighborhood. Eyewitness accounts suggest a highly coordinated operation; armed men reportedly neutralized the on-duty security guard at gunpoint before forcibly removing Mrs. Ogundare and fleeing to an undisclosed location.

Negotiations and Ransom

While the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦60 million, negotiations led to a currency pivot. Investigators believe the captors requested payment in United States dollars to complicate financial tracing and circumvent local banking monitoring systems.

According to family sources, Mrs. Ogundare was released after the family paid a sum of $17,500. It was previously reported that the victim’s husband had transferred ₦5 million to an intermediary, Mr. Dapo Adeola, who facilitated communications using the victim’s mobile phone.

Multi-Agency Response

Prior to her release, the family had engaged a broad network of security and community stakeholders, including:

• The Nigeria Police Force

• The Department of State Services (DSS)

• The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), led by Gani Adams

Local community leaders had also been mobilized to assist in tracking the perpetrators. While Mrs. Ogundare has returned to her family, security agencies are expected to continue their investigations into the criminal network responsible for the breach.