Prof. Kamene Okonjo, the mother of Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was abducted from her palace in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State by a gang of kidnappers, last December, may have been lucky to leave the kidnappers den alive. Sunday Vanguard gathered, last week, that her abductors had wanted to keep her longer than they did, even after receiving N13million ransom.
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Findings revealed that her abductors had planned to collect the entire N200million they demanded before changing their mind, to free her following a disagreement in the kidnappers camp.
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Prof. Okonjo was deemed lucky after one 72-year old Mrs Reginat Obi Daity, a resident of Ogwuashi- Uku, also allegedly kidnapped in the Delta community by the same gang, was murdered allegedly because the ransom paid on her was considered paltry.
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The gang was said to have demanded N10 million ransom for the release of victim, Daity, but got N2 million.
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Some members of the law enforcement community believed providence played a crucial role in the release of Prof. Okonjo by the kidnappers since a 'paltry ransom'- N13 million out of the N200 million demanded – was also paid in her case before an ex- palace guard, Chiejine Onochie, who allegedly masterminded the abduction, panicked and called off the operation.
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Onochie's action was said to have cost him his own share of the N13 million ransom paid. His alleged partners-in-crime simply asked him to look for another victim to be kidnapped and be compensated from the proceeds.
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The palace guard, Sunday Vanguard was told, immediately zeroed-in on Daity, the 72-year-old woman, whose son, a Lagos-based customs licenced clearing and forward agent, was, in his calculations, wealthy.