OUR CAPTORS TOOK N1.6m FROM US, NOT N3m –OBA

By Ekene Okoro, Reporter, Lagos

Chairman, Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Wahaab Oba (Pictured above in the middle of co-captives, on Yellow-Blue Striped shirt), has dismissed the report that N3 million was seized from them by the kidnappers, saying their captors only collected about N1.6 million.

Speaking at his residence Oba, before he was taken to the headquarters of the State Security Service (SSS) at Shangisha, on Monday evening, Oba expressed surprise at media reports on Monday to the effect that the kidnappers collected N3million from them.

“I was surprised when I saw the report today (Monday) that the sum of N3 million was seized from us by the kidnappers.

“I must have been misunderstood. What I meant was that the total value of what the kidnappers seized from us would amount to about N2.5 million or N3 million in total value.

“At least about N1.6 million in cash was seized from us instantly while other properties such as vehicle, a Serena Space bus, laptop, camera, recorder, personnel effects, wrist watches, among other valuables should worth about N2 million.

“We got N1 million from Governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr. Godswill Akpabio as a fulfillment of his promise to assist us for a project we are embarking on in Lagos, while other money collected from all of us should be about N600,000.

“It is most likely the kidnappers acted based on information because they were getting information on us minute by minute with a threat to kill us anytime,” Oba stated,

Oba, who was in high spirit, apparently elated, said they got more afraid of their lives when they kept on seeing corpses along the bushes and forest they were made to pass through.

“But at the end we thank God, because we came out alive, hale and hearty,” he stated.

However, men of the state SSS whisked Oba in an unmarked van to their Shangisha office at about 4.p.m apparently to ask him some information on the N3 million and other essential information concerning their ordeal.

At about 6.p.m when Daily Independent left Oba’s residence, he was yet to return to rejoin his family.

There was a mild drama as his son and daughter refused to go back into the house after their father was taken away.

They instead stuck to their words to remain outside until their father’s return.