TheCable

Olu Falae, former secretary to the government of the federation, who was recently released after four days in captivity, has revealed that his family paid ransom to his abductors to secure his freedom.

Falae’s account contradicts that of Solomon Arase, the inspector-general of police, who said no ransom was paid to secure the release of the septuagenarian.

Narrating his ordeal on Monday when Alani Akinrinade, former chief of defence staff, visited his Ile Oba residence, Falae said his abductors even threatened  to “kidnap me again if I go out and talk rubbish”.

Falae, who refused to disclose the amount paid, said he could have been killed if the money was not raised.

The abductors initially demanded N100 million and later reduced it to N90 million.

“It is an insult to our race that a man like me could be abducted by a bunch of hoodlums,” he said.

“They said ‘we are going to kill you if you don’t give us money. If we don’t get what we want, we will kill you. They gave me up till 3pm the next day and thank God one of them came and said the money was complete.”

Akinrinade charged the federal government to find a solution to the high rate of insecurity in the country.

He expressed displeasure over the manner Falae was treated, saying people from the south-west might be forced to look for an alternative means of securing themselves if the government cannot guarantee security.

“This is a big insult to the Yoruba nation. Chief Olu Falae was roughed off and traumatised in the hands of these hoodlums. This is a gentle man who is making a living from farming and very contended with his family,” he said.

“This is shocking and I have no reason for anyone whatever their mission might be to either go to his house or farm and start being nasty talk less of having the effrontery of demanding for ransom.

“The Yorubas have to get together and review what is going within them. They really have to know who is living with them and know those who wants the progress of the region.

“We can’t allow anyone to trample on the existing tradition ‎of the region. Our culture and tradition is paramount and it cannot change simply because some people came to live with us.”