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The death of Rauf Adeniji, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has sent shockwaves through the party and the nation.
Mr Adeniji, who served as the party’s Director of Administration, was kidnapped on 26 January along with his cousin, Akinropo Adesiyan, and his wife, Esther Adesiyan in their home in Kubwa, Bwari Council Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
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PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the 66-year-old politician took up residence with his cousin in Kubwa after his appointment as the APC national director of administration.
This newspaper further gathered that Mr Adeniji was killed shortly after being abducted by kidnappers in January. However, this information only came to light recently when his cousin, who was rescued along with other captives by security forces on 7 April, disclosed it.
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There appear to be deliberate efforts by security agencies and the ruling APC to withhold information regarding the circumstances of the kidnapping and subsequent death of a prominent member of the ruling party like Mr Adeniji while in the custody of kidnappers. This may stem from concerns about the potential adverse effects on the federal government’s proclaimed efforts, led by the APC, to ensure the security of lives and property in the nation.
Besides announcing on Thursday that it would temporarily close its national headquarters in honour of Mr Adeniji, who managed the daily operations of the secretariat until his abduction and subsequent death, the APC has not disclosed any further details regarding the top party official’s passing.
‘How it happened’
However, an APC chieftain, Jamiu Olawumi, who is privy to the incident, shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, a deeper insight into the tragic events that led to the death of Mr Adeniji and his cousin’s wife.
He said the kidnappers, masquerading as concerned citizens, alerted Mr Adeniji and Mr Adesiyan that someone had jumped over their fence onto their premises in the dead of night.
The hoodlums claimed they were there to help flush out the suspect, but it was a clever decoy to gain entry into the premises. As they opened the gates, the bandits pounced on them. This set in motion a chain of events that would ultimately lead to the devastating outcome.
“So nobody knew their condition until the morning of that incident, when some people were alerted that they saw the corpse of a woman, apparently the wife of his cousin.
“His wife was killed along the footpaths in the bush, and they dumped her corpse beside the road. So, and that was the last we heard from them until very recently,” he said.
Mr Adesiyan, a Deputy Director at the National Assembly Commission, has narrated his ordeals at the hands of the kidnappers, including being chained for 32 days and the killing of his wife in his presence.
Mr Olawumi explained that the shock of Mrs Adesiyan’s murder by the kidnappers led to Mr Adeniji’s death.
“It was Adesiyan that narrated the story. He said it was the trauma and the shock of how the woman was assassinated by these heartless people that got him, and then three hours later he died,” he stated.
Ransom or no ransom
According to Mr Olawumi, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N250 million, but that the federal government explicitly instructed that no payment should be made. Mr Olawumi, however, could not confirm whether a ransom was ultimately paid.
On Tuesday, 8 April, Mr Adesiyan, alongside 59 others, was rescued from the Kidnappers’ den by troops of the Nigerian Army’s 1 Division.
While handing over 60 rescued kidnapped victims to their families, Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), asked Nigerians to stop paying ransom to kidnappers.
Mr Ribadu said that paying ransom to kidnappers would only encourage them to continue in the crime, adding that it was also counterproductive, NAN reported.
“But I want to also use this opportunity to talk to our people to please, stop giving money to these people. It is one of the worst things that is happening,” he said.
According to Mr Olawumi, it was after the kidnapped victims were rescued, the APC and the family of Mr Adeniji knew he had passed on several weeks earlier.
He said the shock of Mr Adeniji’s death has left his wife and children in despair and sadness.
The police Public Relations Officer (PRO) Oluwamuyiwa Adejobi did not respond to calls and texts seeking comment on the matter.
Meanwhile tributes and condolences have been flowing in from prominent personalities like the Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, his predecessor and incumbent Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola, and the APC, who extolled the deceased person’s virtue and contributions to humanity.
Nigeria’s Insecurity Problem
Countless individuals, including politicians, businesspeople, and ordinary citizens have fallen prey to kidnappers demanding ransom. Even when a ransom is paid, there is no guarantee that the victim will be released.
In recent years, incessant kidnappings along expressways and within the territory of the capital city, Abuja, has raised the spectre of insecurity among Nigerians.
Just last month in Zamfara State, five APC ward chairmen were abducted by suspected bandits while traveling to the Marafa area of the state.
A recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals alarming kidnapping statistics.
According to the 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS), a staggering 2,235,954 kidnapping incidents occurred nationwide. Shockingly, 65 per cent of affected households reportedly paid ransoms totaling N2.2 trillion, with an average payment of N2.7 million per incident.
The National Security Adviser revealed that 50 people were rescued from the captivity of kidnappers last week.
