Kidnapped Nigerian Man Found Dead In South Africa After Ransom Payment By Family

Jonathan Eloho Okinedo, a 42-year-old Nigerian resident in South Africa, who was abducted last Saturday has been found dead, according to SaharaReporters.

Okinedo’s wife and brother arrived at the Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) Headquarters earlier this week, seeking assistance to secure his release after he was kidnapped.

It was also reported that they had paid the kidnappers twice yet he was not released, according to Nigeria Abroad.

A South African newspaper disclosed that his lifeless body was discovered near a bush in Newlands – Kwazulu Natal on Wednesday with gunshot wounds to the head. He was identified by his brothers at a state mortuary.

According to his wife, Okinedo, also known as Jojo, a DSTV technician left for the Senzokwethu Secondary School in H Section Ntunzuma on Saturday to meet a client wanting to fit a decoder. The client had called at 06:45 the same morning requesting a technician.

His family received a call from his cellphone later the same day and Okinedo informed them that he was held against his will and the kidnappers were demanding R2000 (N52,000) for his release.

The family negotiated the amount to R500 (N13,000) and the money was transferred via e-wallet to a provided mobile number. The victim was allowed to speak to his family for a few minutes before the call was abruptly disconnected. Both phones were then switched off and the victim was not released.

On Sunday morning, the kidnappers called the family from a new number demanding R5000 (N130,000) for the release of the victim.

The family explained that they could not transfer that amount via e-wallet and the amount of R1500 (N39,000) was agreed upon. When the transfer was done, the kidnappers switched off the phone, and Okinedo was still not released.

Okinedo moved from Nigeria’s Delta State to South Africa and resided temporarily in Amouti – Kwazulu Natal in 2015.

Investigation into the murder and kidnapping is ongoing.