The Lagos State Police Command has said 15-year-old Precious Okoro, who was kidnapped in the Ajah area of Lagos State, will be rescued alive and reunited with her parents.
The spokesperson for the command, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, told PUNCH Metro that the police were not leaving any stone unturned in their quest to reunite the victim with her family, adding that the matter had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
Our correspondent had reported that Precious was abducted in May, 2014 while on her way to her school in Ikenne, Ogun State.
More than two months after her parents could not find her, the kidnappers from Niamey, the Niger Republic capital, were said to have called her father, Nwaigwe, saying they had his daughter with them.
The kidnappers were said to have demanded the payment of $100,000 as ransom.
The victim’s mother, Blessing, told our correspondent in a follow-up that the kidnappers had threatened that if the money was not paid, the 15-year-old would be made to work for it.
The family had appealed for help, adding that it had become bankrupt after spending heavily on transportation and investigation.
Precious father, Nwaigwe, lamented that the police were giving up on the case and that the family was getting increasingly frustrated.
He said, “I don’t understand what is going on any longer. It appears that the police have given up on this. We want our girl back.”
The police spokesperson, Nwosu, however, said the police had not given up.
He said, “We have already arrested three suspects in connection with the case. All the suspects are not here, some of them are in Niger Republic and we are trying our best.
“The matter has been transferred to SARS.
“We sympathise with the victim’s parents that their child is still being held.
“The suspects we have are still with us and will be charged to court anytime soon.
“The claim that the police have given up is uncharitable and we know they recognise our efforts. If we had folded our hands, how will some of the suspects have been arrested?”
