Kidnappers of prominent traditional ruler cum businessman based in Imo State, Eze Joel Ndekwo have demanded for a 200 million Naira ransom before he is released.

This demand was made on sunday, two days after the Isiala Umudi Autonomous Community monarch was kidnapped in front of his office at the busy Tetlow Road in Owerri, the state capital at about 7pm Friday.

According to a source close to the kidnapped monarch the kidnappers had called for the first time on Sunday and demanded such outrageous amount as the condition for his release.

He disclosed that the kidnappers called one of his siblings through the monarch’s phone.

The source said, “The news is true. The kidnappers of his Royal Highness have called. They called his family for the first time since his abduction on Sunday. They asked the family to make available N200m on Monday. They called through his phone. I doubt where they will get that kind of money from.”

The police spokesperson for the command, Michael Abattam, said that the command had begun investigations.