A National Youth Service Corp member, Rofiat Lawal, who was kidnapped along the Benin-Ore Expressway on Tuesday has regained freedom after her family paid a ransom of N1.1m.

ELANZANEWS reports that Lawal was kidnapped while en route to Ibadan, Oyo State from Benin, Edo State to resume at her place of primary assignment.

The abductors were said to have demanded an N20m ransom which her family appealed that they could not afford.

Following back-and-forth negotiations, the kidnappers reportedly reduced the N20m ransom to N5m.

Giving an update on the incident, Lawal’s friend identified as Agbakwara, who was privy to the incident, disclosed on Saturday that Aminat has regained her freedom.

Sharing a video of the victim in a Facebook post, Agbakwara wrote, “In the early hours of Friday, the kidnappers pressured us, warning that if we failed to meet their demands, we should not expect her return.

“In desperation, I reached out to everyone I could, her colleagues in school, the Muslim association, her friends from her hometown, my fans, and her family.

“Through the collective efforts and generosity of so many, we were able to raise N1.1 million, which was sent at 4:20 pm on Friday to an account provided by the kidnappers.

“The recipient, Isaac Ayo, claimed that his sister had also been kidnapped and assured us he would deliver the ransom alongside his own.”

He stated that Lawal was finally reunited with her family on Saturday morning.

“For hours, we anxiously waited. Finally, at around 10 pm, we received the long-awaited call: they had been released and taken to the hospital.

“This morning, we got another call confirming that Rofiat was on her way home, and the others had also safely returned to their families.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed, shared the news, and tagged the necessary authorities. Your support made this possible,” he concluded.

Mrs Ekaette Akpabio, the wife of the Senate President, has launched two lawsuits against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing her of defamation and infringement of her fundamental rights.

In her legal filings, Mrs Akpabio is seeking an astounding ₦250 billion in damages, alongside an additional ₦1 billion to cover legal costs.

The suits, presented to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, arise from sexual harassment allegations made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan against her husband, Godswill Akpabio, during an interview on Arise News last Friday.

In the fundamental rights suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), Mrs Akpabio contends that the statements made by Akpoti-Uduaghan on 20th February 2025, as well as during the televised interview, represent a “flagrant violation” of her fundamental rights as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Referencing Section 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Mrs Akpabio is pursuing several legal remedies, including: “A declaration that the Senator’s remarks breached her fundamental rights and subjected her and her children to emotional and psychological distress.

“A perpetual injunction restraining Akpoti-Uduaghan from making any further inciteful, scandalous, and defamatory remarks against her.

“₦250 billion in damages for what she categorises as exemplary, punitive, aggravated, and general damages incurred as a result of the senator’s statements.”

In a separate defamation lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25), the wife of the Senate President challenges the allegations made by Akpoti-Uduaghan, asserting that they have inflicted irreparable harm on her reputation and that of her family.

She argues that the claims, aired on national television, have “tarnished her family’s reputation and brought them into disrepute and opprobrium.”

“The Defendant’s assertion on national television that the Claimant’s husband, who serves as the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, made sexual advances towards her without any substantiation has severely damaged the reputation of the Claimant and her entire family,” the suit states.

Mrs Akpabio is also seeking a court declaration affirming that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s statements were indeed defamatory.

Her requests include: “A declaration that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s assertions on national television—that the Claimant’s husband, the Senate President, made sexual advances towards her without evidence—have harmed her reputation and that of her family, resulting in disrepute and opprobrium.

“An order compelling Akpoti-Uduaghan to issue a formal written retraction of her statements and to provide an unconditional apology to the Claimant and her family, to be published in two national newspapers.

“An order mandating Akpoti-Uduaghan to pay ₦1 billion in punitive and exemplary damages for the ramifications of her statements on the Akpabio family’s reputation.

“A perpetual injunction preventing Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further defamatory statements against the Akpabio family.”

These lawsuits represent a notable escalation in legal proceedings following a contentious exchange between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senator Akpabio.

The dispute first gained prominence when Akpoti-Uduaghan engaged in a verbal altercation with the Senate President during a Senate session, which she subsequently escalated by levelling allegations of sexual harassment during a televised interview.

The allegations have ignited a nationwide debate, drawing significant attention and eliciting mixed responses from the public.