Salis Manaja, a multimedia journalist with Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, has been released by his abductors after the payment of a N2.5 ransom.
SaharaReporters gathered that Manaja was released on Wednesday after what sources described as dilly-dallying by the bandits.
SaharaReporters had reported on October 13 that Manaja was abducted by gunmen while on his way to Ilorin, Kwara State, to participate in IMPR’s annual Young Communication Fellowship programme.
The abduction reportedly occurred on a Saturday during his journey from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, to Ilorin.
Colleagues, led by Dahiru Lawal, arrived in Ilorin for the fellowship and found that Manaja had not arrived. Multiple attempts to contact him failed as his phone line was unreachable. The exact location of the abduction remained unclear.
A source and colleague close to the victim told SaharaReporters, “The abductors had contacted the family and demanded a ransom, but did not disclose the amount requested.”
The PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship is an annual capacity-building programme held in Kano, Abuja, and Ilorin to train young journalists and communicators.
@SaharaReporters