Austin Ilom
By Victory Oghene
The entire staff of Zenith Bank in the Suleja/Abuja axis are currently mourning the demise of Austin Ilom, a marketing staff of Suleja branch of the bank who was kidnapped few weeks back from his home.
Austin reportedly breathed his last shortly after his release from the kidnappers’ den
The kidnappers demanded for a ransom of N50 million but the bank could not come to his rescue because he was not kidnapped at work or on duty.
Austin’s brother-in-law, a serving Senator, Agom Jarigbe, declined to pay the ransom on the grounds that the bank did not get involved. He later contributed the sum of three million naira.
Austin’s colleagues at work and friends contributed the sum of N11.5 million which was given to the kidnappers. The kidnappers collected the N11million and asked them to source for the balance.
Few days later, Austin took ill and the kidnappers released Austin to his family.
NATIONAL WAVES gathered that he was rushed to the Bwari hospital, where he requested for water. Before the water or any medical help could reach him, he gave up the ghost.
Austin was best marketing staff of the Suleja branch of Zenith Bank.
In a related development, a Civil Rights Advocacy group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has condemned the murders at the weekend of Mr. Austin Ilom and the Ilorin, Kwara State based Roman Catholic Monk Brother Oyekachi Godwin Eze by armed kidnappers. The Rights group advocated the declaration of a National State of emergency on kidnappings.
The group urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency to checkmate kidnapping in the country.
