Rivers State Commissioner for Power, Augustine Wokocha, has regained his freedom from kidnappers, even as Dr Richard Ihua Maduenyi, who was kidnapped with him, did not come back alive.
The men were kidnapped in the evening of Saturday, October 13, in Ede community, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Nigerian Tribune gathered, however, that Wokocha's freedom did not come free-of-charge, as he paid over N100m as ransom and was also shot in one of his feet.
Also, one of the two senior staff members of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Dr Richard Ihua Maduenyi, who was abducted alongside Wokocha, died while in the kidnappers' custody.
Reports had it that both Maduenyi and Dr R.F.Quadri, who were the institution's Director of Academic Planning and Statistics and the College Librarian, respectively, were kidnapped together with Wokocha.
Though not much had since been heard about Quadri, but it was reliably gathered that Maduenyi died while in custody.
Although reaching spokesperson of the Rivers State police command, Ben Ugwuegbulam (DSP), proved abortive, the state's Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Indabawa, confirmed the release of Wokocha.
According to the police commissioner, Wokocha was released at 7.00p.m. on Friday. He, however, said he had no idea that the commissioner paid any ransom, neither was he aware of him being shot or anyone killed.
He said he was in Ondo State on election assignment and was not abreast of events in Rivers, adding, "I got to know about the commissioner's freedom when I spoke with him on phone and that was based on the fact that he is my friend."
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