Soludo’s dad: Kidnappers demand N500m ransom

MEMBERS of Pa Simeon Soludo’s family are still in shock over the kidnap of the 78-year old man.

The father of former Central Bank boss Charles Chukwuma Soludo was snatched on Tuesday night by a gang of five gunmen who stormed his home in Isuanioma, Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State.

The kidnappers are demanding N500million ransom to release Pa Soludo, a source told The Nation last night. Another source, who pleaded not to be named, said a group he called Omega 12 contacted the Soludos at about 6pm, demanding N5b to defray political expenses.

A Police source, who confirmed the N500m demand, vowed that the kidnappers would be arrested within 24 hours, with detectives on their trail.

Police Commissioner Philemon Leha yesterday invited the self-styled godfather of Anambra State politics, Chief Chris Uba, on the incident.

But, Uba said he knew nothing about Pa Soludo’s kidnap on a day that the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a rally. He described the rally and the incident as a mere coincidence.

Leha told reporters at the police headquarters in Amawbia that if Uba was found wanting, the police would arrest him.

Uba told reporters that he would honour the police invitation, adding that the "police in Nigeria know where to see me, if they want me".

He alleged that Soludo, the PDP governorship candidate, is not a member of the party, insisting that he must be shown the way out.

Said Uba: "I must fight on; no amount of blackmail can stop me. He has been begging me to soft pedal and I said I will not. He came in through the backyard and he must leave through the backyard.

"Soludo is not a member of PDP. I am the leader of the party in Anambra State, I’m still consulting with all my lawyers for a legal action against Soludo and his cronies."

Leha said: "The second and the most dangerous phase is insecurity sponsored by politicians. Just yesterday, some group of politicians held a meeting at Emmaus House, Awka where scathing remarks were made on the person of Prof Charles Soludo. Just after the meeting, Chief Simeon Soludo was kidnapped and it is left for people to speculate who did it, and for what reasons.

"The Anambra State Police Command wishes to reiterate its earlier warning and very strongly too, that it cannot fold hands while politicians make nonsense of all the gains made.

"The command will deal very decisively with any politicians found to be fomenting trouble either by his action or words.

"The command also wishes to remind the politicians that the only road to Government House is through the ballot box and not by kidnapping people.

"This brief statement should serve as a warning to all politicians to follow due process and play to the rules. Once again, the command will not hesitate to deal very ruthlessly with anybody caught causing trouble, irrespective of his societal status."

Soludo’s older brother, Chief Emmanuel Soludo, relived the incident in his country home in Isuanioma. He said his father had finished washing his hands for his supper when the men stormed the house. He was not allowed to eat the food, he said.

Chief Soludo said that the men came in a black Mercedes Benz 190 car and not a Peugeot 406 as reported. He named no suspects.

Chief Soludo said he was not at home when the hoodlums came, but children who were around narrated what transpired.

Sympathisers thronged the Soludo compound all yesterday. Some were weeping. Others were discussing the incident, which they described as "unfortunate" and "sad", but all were united on the motive of politics.

Chief Soludo said: "They took the small girls at gun point, searched the whole building, looking for papa’s phone and took it away.

"And in order to accommodate the man in their vehicle, one of them had to move into the trunk of the 190 Benz car."

"The old man was with the children at about 7.30pm when they came," he said.

Leha visited the family yesterday. A detachment of police personnel has been deployed to the building and the residence of Prof. Soludo whose mother, Veronica, is said to have been taken to Lagos for safety.