Sunshine Stars captain reveals how they paid N2.5m for release of kidnapped footballers

The captain of the Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure, Sunday Abe, has revealed that the two footballers that were kidnapped on Benin-Akure Expressway, were released after a sum of N2.5million was paid.

The two footballers, Dayo Ojo of Enyimba FC and Benjamin Iluyomade of Abia Comets FC, who were former players of the Sunshine Stars, were kidnapped by some unknown gunmen on their way to Akure from their clubs following the Covid-19 break, on Sunday.

The kidnappers shortly after contacted their families and demanded a sum of N100million before they could be released.

Abe, who was a former teammate of the duo confirmed on Thursday in Akure, the state capital, that the hoodlums collected N2.5million before the victims were released, noting that the money was paid in cash to the kidnappers.

Narrating how the money was paid, he said:

“They called us around after 4 pm on Wednesday that we should come with the money, at times they asked me to send them recharge card, we tried to speak with them on the financial state of the country.

“We negotiated from N100m to N20m before they finally agreed on N2.5 million. They never asked us to drop the money inside the bush, they met with us one on one.

“They asked me to bring the money before they released them and we reached Akure around 1 am on Thursday.”

He added that the money was raised by the teams and families of the victims, saying Ojo’s team (Enyimba FC ) contributed N1.5m while family rallied round to get the remaining N1 million before they could release the duo.

He also confirmed that the kidnappers were young Fulani boys and the money was paid in cash to them, with other people abducted, bringing their own ransom to the spot where they asked them to come and meet them (the Fulani).

This comes days after the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Leo-Tee Ikoro claimed no ransom was paid before the release of the Nigeria Professional Football League players.