Septuagenarian former Secretary to the Government of Federation and one time Minister of Finance, Chief Olu Falae, is back home. The Afenifere chieftain who was kidnapped from his farm on Monday, September 21, 2015 by some alleged Fulani herdsmen became a free man hours ago.
Narrating his ordeal today after being re-united with his excited family members and accompanied by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, Falae summed up his experience thus: It was hell…They were changing locations…I have not slept since Monday…They said to me if you talk nonsense we are going to shoot you…
The former Alliance for Democracy presidential candidate’s Ondo State home has been playing host to visitors since his return – and among the earliest callers was the State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko. Falae, it would be recalled, was kidnapped on his 77th birthday, attracting criticisms and condemnation from both far and near. Even the President, Muhammadu Buhari, had to issue a statement assuring that everything will be done to free him. Thank God he’s now a free man.
His kidnappers had initially demanded for N100 million ransom. They reduced it to N90 million after some time. YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine, however, can’t tell whether or not money eventually exchanged hands.