Adewunmi Samuel Sofomade, the leader of an Abuja-based music band, has come forward to recount the harrowing experience faced by his band at the hands of bandits, disclosing that a staggering ransom of N91 million was paid for their release.
Sofomade, popularly known as Omoba De Jombo Beats, and his 13-member band were abducted while returning from a performance in Kogi State in December 2023.
They were held captive for an agonizing period before finally being freed.
In a candid revelation during an interview with a local media outlet, Sofomade detailed the intense six-day ordeal spent in captivity, describing the atmosphere as highly distressing and fraught with uncertainty.
“We were returning from a performance in Kogi State when we were accosted and kidnapped by unknown gunmen,” Sofomade recounted.
“Our captors demanded a staggering ransom of N91 million for our release,” he added.
The band leader described the challenges faced in negotiating the exorbitant ransom, mentioning the arduous task of gathering such a colossal sum of money within a short timeframe.
“We experienced immense pressure to secure the ransom demanded by the abductors. It was an incredibly difficult time for us and our families,” Sofomade shared.
He continued: “We spent six days with the kidnappers inside a very thick forest, and the six days felt like six years because a lot of things happened in that forest.
“They asked for N10 million each. We started begging their commandant that we could not gather N10 million. He later reduced it to N7 million each.
“When we received the information that the money had been completed but there was no cash during the December period, we started looking for cash. They initially agreed that the money be converted to dollars, but their leader later changed his mind and insisted on naira.”
