Kidnappers have released a man and five other mourners who were abducted while conveying his wife’s corpse for burial in Benue State, following the reported payment of N2.5m ransom.

The six victims were kidnapped around 8pm on Friday along Adoka Road in Otukpo Local Government Area while travelling to Okpoga in Okpokwu LGA.

The deceased woman reportedly died in Kano, and her husband and five others were transporting her remains for burial when gunmen intercepted their vehicle along the road.

The kidnappers reportedly abandoned the corpse on the highway and demanded N15m ransom for the release of the victims.

A source told our correspondent that the six abductees regained their freedom in the early hours of Wednesday after their families paid N2.5m.

“The six kidnap victims were released early hours of today after family paid N2.5 million,” the source said.

Confirming their release, the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, said the victims were freed between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning but declined to comment on the ransom payment.

“It’s true that the victims were released between Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday,” he said.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Peter Aondongu, said he was yet to receive confirmation of their release.

“I am yet to get the report of the release of the kidnap victims,” the police spokesman said.