“It has been a traumatic day for all of us. He is my friend. 3 years ago he lost his son. Last year he lost his father. He just concluded the burial after Christmas,” Nnodim’s friend says
After a ‘demand for N10 million ransom’ was placed on his head and two nights in abductors’ den, the Punch journalist, Okechukwu Nnodim, has been released.
Though Nnodim could not be reached on phone as at the time of filing this report, his friends, family members and colleagues who confirmed his release to Platforms Africa expressed appreciation to God for his safe return.
Stating that he was “released around 9:30pm on Saturday after a ransom of N3 milluon was paid,” they called for protection for the journalist who has recently been going through traumatic experiences.
One of Nnodim’s colleagues, Miss Queen Ukoduma, said in a WhatsApp message; “Okechukwu Nnodim has been freed by the captors,
All praise be unto God.”
Few hours before this, she said; “They are demanding for ten million naira ransom. They reached out to his sister in Lagos.”
Another colleague, Obas Esediesa, who wondered why a journalist who does his job diligently would be subjected to such a traumatic experience.
“It has been a traumatic day for all of us. He is my friend. 3 years ago he lost his son. Last year he lost his father. He just concluded the burial after Christmas,” Esediesa said.
Earlier, Platforms Africa has officially demanded the release of Nnodim and an end to violence against journalists.
“The kidnapping of Okechukwu Nnodim, a Nigerian journalist with Lagos-based PUNCH newspaper, should be thouroughly investigated by the security agencies in the country. Journalists all over Africa are already endangered species and kidnappung should not be included in the long list of threats they face everyday,” the fastest growing online newspaper with the mission to create and sustain a cycle of informed Africans, said in a statement.
The Energy correspondent with The PUNCH Newspaper in Abuja was kidnapped by unknown gunmen at his residence in the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday, February 4, 2021.
A family source, which confirmed the information, declared then that the operation was carried out by a four-man gang.
“In a commando style, the men scaled the fence of Nnodim’s residence to gain access to him. They have, before this fired several gunshots in the air,” the source said.
Nnodim has just rounded up a prayer devotion with his family and about retiring for the day when the assailants broke into the house through the window.
“After gaining access to his house, the gunmen demanded money before he was whisked away.
“He was reportedly kidnapped alongside a child of his neighbour at his house in Kubwa, a suburb in the Federal Capital Territory at about 11 pm on Wednesday.
Nnodim covers the Energy and business for The PUNCH in the FCT.
