Kidnappers of Augusta Douglas-Ayam, the sister of the Special Adviser to the President on Research and Documentation, Oronto Douglas, have reduced the ransom for her release from N500m to N10m.
Douglas-Ayam was abducted from her store last Monday at about 8.30pm, by nine armed men allegedly dressed in army camouflage, who whisked her away at Ogbia town in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State to an unknown destination in the creeks.
The kidnappers reportedly contacted her husband, Mr. Azibayam, at about 2am on Thursday asking for N500m.
The ransom was however reduced to N17m on Friday and later to N10m yesterday.
It was learnt that the kidnappers slashed down the ransom to N10m after discussing with their victim’s husband.
According to a source who pleaded anonymity, “For the first time, the kidnappers were calm in their conversation. They didn’t sound furious this time around. They simply asked that we should look for N10million.
“But the woman’s husband begged them to collect N3million. He told them he could only afford N3million. They asked him to increase the money to enable them free his wife,” the source said, expressing optimism that their sister could be set free by Monday.
“With the way the conversation is going, we hope that our sister will be released on or before Monday,” he said.
