The National President of the Afenifere National Youth Council, Prince Eniola Ojajuni, has appealed to Nigerians to help him raise the N100 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers who threatened to kill him by 3pm on Monday.
No update had been received as of 5.30 pm on Monday when this report was published.
Ojajuni’s cry for help was disclosed in a trending video on Monday showing the disturbed Afenifere youth chieftain pleading for his life.
The video showed a kidnapper pointing an AK-47 at Ojajuni’s chest as he appealed to the public for financial assistance to secure his release.
He said, “Nigerians, please help me! Your donation—N100,000, N50,000, or N1,000,000—can go a long way in saving my life,” he pleaded in the video.
“My name is Prince Eniola Ojajuni. God bless you. Aderohunmu, please help me spread this video.”
Confirming his abduction, the National Secretary of the council, Abiodun Aderohunmu, confirmed the abduction, disclosing that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N100 million for his release.
“The Afenifere National Youths Council is deeply saddened to announce the kidnapping of its national president, Prince Eniola Joseph Ojajuni, in Abuja.
“During the attack, he sustained a gunshot wound, and we are extremely concerned about his safety,” the statement read.
Aderohunmu called on the federal government and security agencies to take urgent action to secure Ojajuni’s freedom.
The kidnappers of Ojajuni had issued a 48-hour ultimatum, threatening to kill him if a ransom of N100 million was not paid.
In a trending voice recording, a conversation between the family and the kidnappers reveals the tense negotiations.
Ojajuni, speaking in distress, stated that the kidnappers had demanded N100 million and had already shot him in the buttock.
During the call, one of the family members spoke with the kidnappers, who pleaded for a reduction in the ransom amount.
“Please, what can you do for us? How do we pay?” the family member asked.
Struggling to negotiate, the family member explained, “We don’t have that kind of money. We are planning to sell a small piece of family land in the village. If we sell it, we’ll see how much we can raise. How do we bring the money? Where do we pay?”
The kidnapper insisted, “You must pay in cash.”
The family pleaded further, “Please, can you accept N10 million? That’s all we can raise.”
The kidnapper refused, saying, “God forbid bad thing. If you continue talking nonsense, I swear to Almighty God you won’t hear from me again. The last price my boss gave me is N100 million, but if you can raise something better, let me know.”
As the family continued pleading, the kidnappers threatened to harm Prince Ojajuni further.
Since his abduction, the Nigeria Police Force has yet to comment on the efforts carried out by his operatives to free Ojajuni from his abductors.