By Starrys Obazei

THE DELTA monarch, Obi Akaeze Ofulue 111 of Ubulu-Uku, in Aniocha South Local Government Area, Delta State, has already spent seven days in abductors’ den in the forest.

He fell into the hands of Fulani herdsmen kidnappers at a bad spot on Obior – Igbodo part of Benin-Asaba expressroad, Tuesday, January 5, 2016.

Hope was raised for his release, when many days later, the kidnappers began negotiating with the palace officials.
Vanguard reliably gathered that the ransom bargain began with N25 million, and haggled down to N3.5 million.

As efforts were made to hand over the ransom to the kidnappers, something went wrong, according to a family source based in Lagos.
And a few days ago, the monarch and his driver, Vanguard learned, attempted to escape, but the Obi could not make it, and was re-arrested by the Fulani herdsmen abductors. But his driver made it to safety.

The source said: “The driver thereafter started helping the police and vigilante men to comb the suspected forest area.
But another source at Ubulu-Uku in a telephone chat, said: “Fears about the Obi’s safety has heightened in our community after the failed attempt to escape.

“However, the Obi was able to reach his palace officials on phone a few days ago, and efforts were made to end the ordeal with the payment of the ransom, but suddenly it became impossible to reach the Obi again.”

The source said that “up till now, we cannot reach the abductors again. We suspect they are afraid of being caught after payment of the ransom because of the current activities of the police and vigilante.
“Right now, all lovers of the Obi have gone into intense prayers for his safety.”