Called-to-Bar Lawyer, Peace Onyesom, and Sister Abducted as kidnappers Demand ₦40m Ransom

Fear and uncertainty grip the Onyesom family after Peace Onyesom, a lawyer freshly called to the Nigerian Bar, and her sister, Gift, were abducted on their way home from the historic ceremony.

The sisters were kidnapped along the Okene-Auchi Road on Friday, September 27, while returning from the call-to-bar ceremony held on September 23.

Their sibling, Adaeze Onyesom, recounted that Gift had remained in contact with another family member until she suddenly became unreachable. Moments later, a man who identified himself as a police officer answered her phone, informing the family that she had been abducted.

“About an hour after our youngest sibling called her, someone else picked up and said he was a policeman. He told us they found her phone in the bus and that they had gone after the kidnappers,” Adaeze narrated.

The kidnappers first demanded ₦100 million, but after negotiations, reduced it to ₦20 million per victim. Despite the family pleading that they could only raise ₦7 million, the abductors have insisted on the full ₦40 million.

“They called this morning (Sunday) and allowed us to speak with our sisters, who pleaded with us to raise the money,” Adaeze added, noting that the family had resorted to selling property to meet the demand.

The abduction has left the family devastated, and they have appealed to security agencies for urgent intervention.

Meanwhile, Force PRO CSP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed that eight kidnapped victims from the same incident had been rescued, assuring that efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the remaining four, including Peace and Gift.