Pius Okokingho, husband to the kidnapping victim, said on Wednesday that his wife had spent two weeks in the kidnappers' den and described the experience as traumatic.
Roselyn Okokingho, a breastfeeding mother of a nine-week old baby who was kidnapped in Towon Brass, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State by gunmen, regained her freedom on Tuesday, according to family sources.
Pius Okokingho, husband to the kidnapping victim, said on Wednesday that his wife had spent two weeks in the kidnappers' den and described the experience as traumatic.
He said that his wife's abductors dropped her off in an isolated area along the Brass River waterways from where she was soon rescued by sympathizers.
Mr. Okokingho added that the baby had suffered during Mrs. Okonkingho’s absence, as the infant could not be breastfed and had to drink baby formula instead.
Although he declined to disclose if a ransom was paid, Mr. Okokingho said that the kidnappers had established telephone contact with him and turned down his offer of N100,000, demanding a N10 million ransom instead.
“I can confirm that my wife is back and I thank God that she is in good health. I am also grateful to sympathizers who came to her rescue and all those who stood by me during these traumatic two weeks,” Mr. Okokingho told our correspondent.
“I also applaud the media for the selfless advocacy for the freedom of my wife. I am sure they were under intense pressure, as the kidnappers said that the incident was enjoying the media spotlight, an indication that I had money, but I told them it was public service.
“The media spotlight was not my making; I did not solicit media coverage in any way. I was too confused to think straight, and it was just an act of God that the sympathy of the new baby got people in the media to take up the issue as their social obligation,” he said.
