The alleged kidnappers of Esther Jonathan, an Abuja resident and indigene of Tum in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have reportedly demanded ₦5 million for her release.
Jonathan was said to have gone missing on Monday after boarding a vehicle from Jikoyi, Karu, to her workplace but failed to return home, The News Chronicle gathered.
The incident was brought to public attention by an individual who said Jonathan’s brother contacted him on Sunday to report her disappearance and the subsequent ransom demand.
According to the account, the alleged kidnappers contacted Jonathan’s sister and demanded ₦5 million. Her brother reportedly provided an audio recording of a telephone conversation between the sister and the suspected abductors.
The individual said he advised the family to report the incident to the police, adding that the family confirmed it had already done so.
He, however, expressed concern over the inability to reach Jonathan’s sister, whose telephone number was reportedly used by the alleged kidnappers to communicate with the family.
He said repeated attempts to contact the sister since Sunday had been unsuccessful, adding that Jonathan’s brother had also been unable to reach her.
According to him, arrangements were being made to visit the sister’s residence to establish contact with her and obtain further information about the situation.
The individual appealed to the police and other relevant security agencies to investigate the reported abduction, trace the suspected perpetrators and intensify efforts to secure Jonathan’s safe return.
He also urged members of the public with credible information that could assist in locating the missing woman to contact the family or the relevant authorities.
As of the time of filing this report, Jonathan’s whereabouts remained unknown, while there was no independent confirmation of the reported ransom demand or an official statement from the police on the incident.
