A senior staff member of FCMB Banex Branch, Wuse II, Abuja, Mr. Muhammed Ajoge, has been kidnapped along the Abuja-Lokoja expressway.
Ajoge, a native of Kogi State, was abducted on Saturday, February 22, 2025, around 2 o’clock in the afternoon while traveling alone Okene to visit his father.
Eyewitnesses said that they saw some armed men intercepted his vehicle, forced him to stop, and led him into the forest at gunpoint.
But the kidnappers have been contacting his wife using his mobile phone, demanding a ₦30 million ransom after which an initial ₦5 million offered by the family was said to have been rejected.
There have been claims from some quarters that the bank’s expected role in securing his release may not be forthcoming as his colleagues at FCMB clarified that Ajoge’s trip was personal, not an official assignment.
As a result, the bank can not take full responsibility for negotiations or police investigations without the family’s authorization.
Responding to a private inquiry on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, FCMB stated:
“Thank you for reaching out. Please be assured that we take this matter very seriously. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Ajoge and his family, and we remain hopeful for his safe return. This is receiving urgent attention.”
As of the time of this report, the police were said not to have issued a statement or confirm any efforts to secure his release.
Some concerned Nigerians are of the view that the silence of security agencies raises concerns about the growing insecurity along the Abuja-Lokoja highway, which has become a hotspot for kidnappings.
Family members, colleagues, and well-wishers said they remain hopeful for his safe return.
Ajoge recently lost his mother, making the abduction even more distressing for his family.
Kidnappers Of FCMB Senior Staff On Abuja Lokoja Highway Demand ₦30 Million Ransom
