By Ed Malik, A | ed@ddnewsonline.com | posted 26th february, 2025
A senior staff member of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Banex Branch, Wuse II, Abuja, Mr. Muhammed Ajoge, was abducted on February 22, 2025, around 2 p.m. while traveling alone to Okene, Kogi State, to visit his father.
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Armed men intercepted his vehicle along the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway, forced him to stop, and led him into the forest at gunpoint. This incident is particularly distressing for his family, as Ajoge recently lost his mother.
The kidnappers have contacted his wife using his mobile phone, demanding a ₦30 million ransom. An initial ₦5 million offer from the family was reportedly rejected.
Colleagues at FCMB clarified that Ajoge’s trip was personal and not an official assignment; therefore, the bank cannot take full responsibility for negotiations or police investigations without the family’s authorization.
Muhammed Ajoge
In response to a private inquiry on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, FCMB stated:
“Thank you for reaching out. Please be assured that we take this matter very seriously. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Ajoge and his family, and we remain hopeful for his safe return. This is receiving urgent attention.”
As of now, the police have yet to issue a statement or confirm any efforts to secure his release. This incident highlights ongoing security concerns along the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway, which has experienced a resurgence of kidnappings and armed robberies in recent years. Both motorists and local villagers have expressed fear over the return of kidnappers to the highway, noting that the absence of security agents at known black spots has emboldened criminal activities.
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Sometime in March 2020, the House of Representatives decried the rising spate of armed robbery and kidnappings along the Abuja-Lokoja road, proposing measures to end attacks on road users. They called on the Federal Government to set up a well-equipped and properly motivated joint security task force to address the multiple crimes along the highway.
The resurgence of such incidents underscores the need for enhanced security measures to protect travelers and residents in the area.
I have not checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂