Five individuals, including three brothers from Fouani Nigeria Limited, a prominent electronics distributor, have regained their freedom four days after being abducted in Lagos last Friday.
A ransom of $1.5 million was reportedly demanded by their abductors for the release of the Lebanese nationals.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, on Tuesday confirmed that a joint rescue operation by the Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy in the Orugbo Iddo area of Epe successfully secured the release of the abducted victims on Monday night.
Among those freed were three Lebanese nationals: Abbas Fouani, Youssef Fouani, and Amtal Fouani, who have since returned to their residence in Banana Island.
“They were rescued late last night in Orugbo Iddo.
“Our Marine Police with the support of the Nigerian Navy brought them to shore. Thereafter, our tactical team in the area took them home on Banana Island in the early hours of today,” he said.
The other two individuals kidnapped alongside the Lebanese nationals are the boat driver and his assistant, the police confirmed.
However, there is no confirmation yet on whether the demanded ransom of $1.5 million was paid.
Backstory
Nairametrics earlier reported that on Friday evening, three Lebanese nationals, including the Managing Director of Fouani Nigeria Limited—a leading distributor of electronics such as LG, Hisense, and Huawei in Nigeria—were abducted in Lagos State.
Reports indicate that they were traveling by boat on the state’s inland waterways from Apapa to Victoria Island when they were ambushed by armed men near Falomo Bridge and subsequently kidnapped.
The boat carrying the abducted Lebanese nationals was later recovered in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Saturday.
The kidnappers contacted the family members of the abducted individuals, demanding a ransom of $1.5 million for their release.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, confirmed the incident and assured the public that the police would do everything possible to rescue the victims.
The abduction of such high-profile individuals in Lagos State has elicited strong reactions from both Lagosians and Nigerians nationwide.
Many have called for increased security across all forms of transportation in Lagos, especially since the state government has been promoting water transportation as a viable alternative to reduce traffic congestion.
This push includes the recent launch of over a dozen new jetties for commercial operations.
In response to the incident, there has been a heightened demand for improved safety measures on the state’s waterways.
The kidnapping has highlighted the urgent need for enhanced security protocols to protect passengers and ensure the safety of all transport routes within the state.
