Gunmen have abducted ransom negotiator Ocholi Ochoni in Kogi State shortly after he secured the release of a five-year-old girl previously kidnapped by armed men.
The kidnappers seized him immediately after receiving the ransom, even as the child was freed unharmed.
Ochoni had gone to deliver the ransom funds on behalf of the family of Omaojo Philip, who was abducted earlier in the week in the Echukwu area of Bassa Local Government Area.
A community member familiar with the incident said the negotiator’s mission was intended to ensure the child’s safety.
“He went there to help, believing the child’s life would be spared, and while the girl was freed, they took him instead,” the source said.
The source stated that after receiving the ransom payment, the abductors immediately turned on Ochoni, taking him to an unknown location.
He added that the precise motive behind the abduction of the negotiator remains unclear, leaving authorities and the community uncertain about whether the act was part of a targeted vendetta, a ransom scheme, or another criminal agenda.
Local vigilante groups and security operatives have launched a joint search operation to locate Ocholi.
A police officer involved in the investigation confirmed that efforts to track down the kidnappers are “in full swing.”
Community leaders have condemned the incident as “a wicked betrayal of humanity” and urged authorities to intensify the crackdown on criminal gangs operating in the area.
