How APC Leader Rauf Adeniji Died In Captivity

The death of Rauf Adeniji, a senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has sent shockwaves through the party and the nation.

Adeniji, who served as the APC’s Director of Administration, was kidnapped on January 26, along with his cousin, Akinropo Adesiyan, and his wife, Esther Adesiyan, at their home in Kubwa, Bwari Council Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Aged 66, Adeniji had moved to Kubwa after his appointment to the national director role. His tragic fate came to light only recently after his cousin, who was rescued by security forces on April 7, disclosed that Adeniji had been killed shortly after his abduction in January.

According to Premium Times, while details surrounding the kidnapping and Adeniji’s death remained largely withheld, likely to avoid any negative impact on the APC-led federal government’s security efforts, insiders within the party have shared more about the horrifying events. Jamiu Olawumi, an APC chieftain familiar with the situation, provided further insight into the circumstances that led to Adeniji’s death and the tragic loss of his cousin’s wife.

According to Olawumi, the kidnappers posed as concerned citizens, tricking Adeniji and Adesiyan into opening their gates by claiming they were there to help apprehend a suspect. Once inside, the criminals quickly overpowered them. “So nobody knew their condition until the morning of that incident, when some people were alerted that they saw the corpse of a woman, apparently the wife of his cousin,” Olawumi told Premium Times. Mrs. Adesiyan’s body was found in the bush, discarded along a footpath.

Olawumi further revealed that Adesiyan had been held captive for 32 days, chained by the kidnappers, who demanded a ransom of 250 million naira. The federal government had, however, issued a directive not to pay any ransom, although it remains unclear if any payment was made. The trauma of witnessing his brother’s wife brutal murder, according to Olawumi, caused Adesiyan’s cousin, Adeniji, to die three hours later from the shock.

On April 8, Adesiyan and 59 other kidnapping victims were rescued by troops from the Nigerian Army’s 1 Division. The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, used the occasion to urge Nigerians to stop paying ransom to kidnappers, stressing that such payments only fueled the criminal activity. “It is one of the worst things that is happening,” Ribadu stated.

Following Adeniji’s rescue, it became apparent that he had been dead for several weeks. His death has left his family, including his wife and children, in deep sorrow.

Meanwhile, tributes and condolences have poured in from notable figures such as Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, his predecessor Adegboyega Oyetola, and members of the APC, all extolling Adeniji’s contributions to the party and society.

The disturbing trend of kidnappings for ransom has become a grave concern across Nigeria, particularly in Abuja and along major expressways.

The recent abduction of five APC ward chairmen in Zamfara State is a stark reminder of the growing insecurity. According to a 2024 report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), over 2.2 million kidnapping incidents were recorded across the country, with a staggering 65% of affected households paying ransoms totaling 2.2 trillion naira.