Kidnapped hotelier rescued after 18 days in captivity, despite N25m ransom payment

In a dramatic turn of events, the Rivers State Police Command has successfully rescued a popular hotelier, Mr. John Sunny, after he was abducted and shot three times at his residence in Artillery, Port Harcourt.

The rescue came even after the kidnappers refused to release him, despite receiving a hefty ransom of N25 million (approximately $55,000) in dollars.

State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, revealed these during his first media briefing of the year held at the Command Headquarters on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday.

He disclosed that the victim spent a harrowing 18 days in the kidnappers’ den, struggling with untreated gunshot wounds, before a turning point in the case.

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The crucial breakthrough came when a relative who had been secretly paying the ransom, determined to inform the police about the abduction. This vital information enabled the police to launch a targeted operation and successfully rescue Mr. Sunny on January 6, 2024.

He stated, “This victim was kidnapped on December 19 at his residence in Artillery, Port Harcourt by these hoodlums. The victim is a popular hotelier in town.

“These hoodlums shot him three times on the leg before he was abducted. His family did not tell the police or other security agencies. They (victim’s family) decided to pay the ransom that was demanded by the kidnappers.

“The total sum of about N25m in dollars equivalent was paid to these kidnappers, but they refused to release the victim. It was at this stage that the wife of the victim decided to inform the police, on December 30.

“The police of the C4i Intelligence started to work on it. Earlier this month, our men had an encounter with them but these kidnappers escaped.”

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