<<Print>>

Six days after he was seized on the Port Harcout-Enugu Expressway, the popular Nollywood actor, Nkem Owoh, aka Osuofia, on Saturday regained freedom from his abductors. Owoh�s freedom was said to have been negotiated by members of his family who paid N1.4m, SUNDAY PUNCH gathered. The kidnappers, however, continue to hold on to the actor�s car pending the payment of N100,000 balance, a member of the family told SUNDAY PUNCH on the condition of anonymity. The source said the family could only raise N1.4m out of the N1.5m demanded by the kidnappers. Our correspondent gathered that the family members pleaded with the abductors to release his vehicle but all efforts proved abortive. It would be recalled that the actor was abducted on Monday when a gang of kidnappers reportedly blocked his car as he made his way towards a film location in Enugu. Owoh was said to have been in his country home in Enugu, the Enugu State capital, when he called his Personal Assistant, Mr. Cino, who was in Lagos, to inform him of his intention to go to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Shortly after, another call was reportedly put across to his Personal assistance, Cino, this time by a man who claimed to be a member of a gang that kidnapped Owoh. The kidnappers� original demand was N15m, but the ransom was said to have been negotiated to N1.5m, out of which the family was said to have paid the N1.4m.