Abducted Kwara Businessman Freed After N110 Million Ransom Payment

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

A businessman identified as Suleiman Ndana, popularly known as “Manager,” who was abducted last month from Tsaragi community in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, has regained his freedom following the payment of a N110 million ransom — just hours before a planned military rescue operation.

Sources close to the victim confirmed that Mr Ndana was among those recovered by Nigerian Army troops during a raid on the kidnappers’ hideout on Friday. A friend of the businessman revealed that the abductors had issued serious threats as military pressure intensified in the forest where they were hiding, vowing to kill him if the ransom was not paid immediately.

Under the tense circumstances, his family and associates reportedly delivered the N110 million ransom at an undisclosed location. Shortly after the payment, soldiers stormed the area, leading to Mr Ndana’s release.

His freedom marks a breakthrough for the ongoing military operation tagged Operation FANSAN YAMMA in Kwara North, while highlighting the moral dilemma faced by families forced to negotiate with kidnappers under life-threatening pressure.

Meanwhile, residents of Patigi Local Government Area recently staged mass protests over the escalating insecurity in Kwara North. Youths, elders, and community leaders took to the streets demanding urgent government intervention, alleging that persistent killings and abductions had crippled local commerce and forced medical personnel to flee hospitals.

Protesters accused both the state and federal authorities of neglect, citing the exodus of doctors from Patigi General Hospital and the increasing presence of suspected armed herders in rural communities. They urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to deploy more security personnel and relocate the Kara Market, which they claim has become a hub for criminal activity.

The protesters warned that unless swift action is taken, insecurity could cause a total economic collapse in parts of Kwara North, lamenting that millions of naira are lost daily to ransom payments, farm attacks, and disrupted livelihoods.