The wife of the Alauga of Auga in Akoko North East area of Ondo state, Olori Olukemi Agunloye and her driver who were kidnapped four days ago, have been released. They are presently on admission at the General Hospital in lkare.

CEOAfrica learnt that they were released from the kidnappers den after the community rallied round the traditional ruler, Oba Samuel Agunloye to pay N1million ransom to the kidnappers.

The negotiations and subsequent payment of the ransom was behind the state police command.

Recall that the kidnappers initially demanded for N20m but later reduced it to N10m. They reportedly came down to N1m after they spoke with the traditional ruler who pleaded with them that there was nowhere he could raise such an amount of money.

The traditional ruler informed the abductors of his wife and driver that he is a peasant farmer and not a moneybag traditional ruler.

The leader of the gang was quoted as saying that their captives were “bad business” because they thought the minimum they could get as ransom from the families of the victims was N5m.

Palace source confirmed that they were released at about 9pm along lsua road, in Akoko axis by their captors.

The leader of the gang who was negotiating with the Obas family put a call across that they should pick the Olori and the driver along lsua road.

Recall that the sleepy Auga- Akoko community was thrown into confusion as the duo were abducted last week Sunday between Auga and Ise Akoko on their way to Ugbe-Akoko in the same council area of her home town when the Olori was travelling to her home town for a ceremony when the abductors who had laid ambush pounced on her and the driver.

They were bundled inside their get-away vehicle and left the vehicle the Olori and the driver were travelling in by the road side. The state police image maker, Femi Joseph, confirmed that the victims had reunited with their families. Joseph said this would not foreclose police investigation as the kidnappers would soon be apprehended. The police spokesperson said no arrest had, however, been made so far.