Tell Your Kinsmen to Release Our Son in Their Custody, Akeredolu Urged

By Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu has been urged to as a matter of urgency, direct his kinsmen, the Oba of Ikare, Oba Akadiri Saliu Momoh and his family to quickly secure the release of one, Mr. Emmanuel Otobo, a native of Okpoku Local Government Area of Benue State.
The Otobo family, through their eldest son, Mr. Akor Otobo, made the plea weekend, while briefing journalists in Abuja, on the alleged kidnapping of his younger brother, Emmanuel in faraway Uri Salle Okagbe – Ikare, of Ikare North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

According to him, “I’m compelled to address the press on the stress I have been through on the kidnapping of my brother of the same mother at a far way Ikare-Ondo State.
“My brother has been sick psychologically and out of good humanitarian neighborhood, I was directed to take him to a native herbalist that could be able to address his sickness which has been over time. I took him to the house of the herbalist by name, Prince Adewusi Adeyemi Ojo in Iru-Isale of Okagbe-Ikare, Akoko North of Ondo State.

“We got back on October 27 and by the second Friday of the second week of November 17, 2017, the wife of the prince called me that my brother went for evening service and never returned home and that, they have done a 24 hours search before informing me.”
Speaking further, he stated that the matter was reported to the police and a communal search was conducted through the period of November all to no avail.

“And, from time to time, they were receiving information and on two occasions, they were called that he was found in one of the settlement and they will drive there and find nothing.”

Otobo said: “Information got to us that the herbalist son-in-law, Somi, also known as, ‘Tarry’ who happened to be married to the herbalist daughter, masterminded the kidnap alongside another neighbour by name, Seyi also known as, ‘Motuary’.

“The matter was reported to the traditional ruler of Iru, who called his council to invite both Somi and Seyi to the palace to defend themselves. He went further for traditional fact finding and was told that the two gentlemen were behind the kidnapping of Mr. Emmanuel Otobo.

Explaining further, he said: “Mr. Somi ran away from Iru-Isale to his native village of Ikare-Ondo and was traced to another native doctor’s house, arrested by the villagers and bundled to the Oba of Ikare’s palace (his native village) to report the incidents.

“He was given three days to produce the kidnapped Emmanuel but, Somi’s family requested for five days, and at the end of the five days, the Oba of Ikare, Oba Akadiri Saliu, asked for more days to handle the case. When asked how long, he said he doesn’t know.

Continuing, Otobo revealed that a call was put across to him to speak to the Oba, “and I asked him to tell me when my brother would be released, he said he doesn’t know and I asked him if it meant my brother was dead, he said he wasn’t saying that. He is asking for an indefinite time. I pleaded with him to release my brother to the traditional ruler of Iru-Isale and I have written to the Inspector General of Police to notify him of this incident.

“The essence of my briefing is to basically request the governor of Ondo State to please prevail on the Olu-Ikare, Oba Akadiri Saliu Momoh, to please, present and release my brother that has been held hostage or kidnapped in his locality because we gathered that the so called Somi is a member of the royal family.

“So they felt it would be a slight if the public knew that someone from the royal family was involved in kidnapping.”

“The family of Otobo demands the release of our brother and son, Mr. Emmanuel Otobo whether dead or alive,” Akor said.