We will secure release of kidnapped Briton - Police Vows

The Lagos State Police Command, has said that investigation aimed at setting free Lee Dixon, a British expatriate abducted in Lagos earlier in the week, was ongoing.

State police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, who gave the assurance, confirmed the incident happened on Wednesday, adding that an operation to secure the hostage was already on.

A statement on Friday, by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, had explained how the incident occurred.

The gunmen, it said, about 8.30 pm on Thursday, at Mafoluku environ, forcefully seized the victim.

The area is close to the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to FAAN spokesperson, Mr. Yakubu Dati, “An expatriate, Lee Dixon, a Briton, who arrived on KLM from Armsterdam, was kidnapped around Mafoluku area at about 2030 hours (8.30 pm), 18/07/2013. His driver, Kojo Jacobs, an employee of Russell, an oil services company based in Lekki, was driving him in a black Kia Sportage registered, MA 266 EKY, when they were accosted.


 
“The gunmen shot the driver and took away the expatriate; the driver is receiving treatment at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos.”

At the moment, it is yet to be ascertained if the abductors had made any demand for ransom.

Earlier, the Airport Police Command denied that the incident occurred within the airport.

Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Bayo Ajileye, maintained nothing of such happened under his jurisdiction, insisting that the airport was safe and secure.

Public Relations Officer of the Airport Command, Dennis Ifijen, who expressed surprise at the news, said “I’m not aware of it; we don’t have it in our records. I’m surprised because I’ve not heard anything like that.

“I don’t know where the information came from. It did not happen here,” he stressed.

Dailypost

The Lagos State Police Command on Sunday rescued a Briton, Lee Dixon, who was kidnapped in Mafoluku area of the state last Thursday.
 
Although, details of the rescue were sketchy as of press time, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for the command, Damasus Ozoani, however, confirmed Dixon’s rescue to our correspondent on the telephone.
 
It was learnt that after kidnapping Dixon, the kidnappers had demanded $1m (N159m) as ransom.
 
A senior police officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Commissioner of Police for the state command, Umar Manko, assigned the case to the Special Investigation Bureau department.
 
Ozoani said, “Details are a bit sketchy but I can confirm to you that Dixon was rescued today (Sunday). There will be a press briefing tomorrow (today), where the details of the investigations will be revealed.”
 
The spokesperson for the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Mr. Yakubu Dati, had said the victim, who arrived on KLM from Armsterdam, was kidnapped around 8.30pm on July 18, 2013.
 
Dati said the driver of the victim, Kojo Jacobs, was driving him in a black Kia Sportage registered MA 266 EKY, when they were accosted by gunmen.


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