Kidnappers Threatened To Sell Us To Ritualists – Kogi Victims

Two of the 16 kidnap victims recently rescued in Kogi State, Ngozi Stephen and Joshua Daniel, have narrated their experience in captivity, including ransom demands made by their abductors.

The victims were abducted on Sunday after gunmen attacked commuters along the Ojuwo–Ajengo–Memarebo and Ojiwo–Itobe roads in Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

Naija News reports that they were rescued on Monday during a joint operation involving the Nigerian Army, Navy, police and local vigilantes along the Ajaokuta-Anyigba road in the Ofu area.

Authorities said six of those rescued were adult males, six were women, and four were children.

The victims were subsequently taken for documentation, medical assessment and reunification with their families.

The military said a local hunter lost his life during the operation, while a police officer sustained injuries.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Kogi State Police Command headquarters, Stephen said the abductors used her as an interpreter because she could speak Hausa fluently.

According to her, the kidnappers demanded different ransom amounts from the victims and instructed her to communicate the demands.

She recalled, “So they told me, tell this person ₦50 million, tell this person ₦100 million, tell this person ₦70 million. That was how they were.

“So I would tell them, okay, this is what they said, this is the amount they said you should bring.”

Stephen said the kidnappers demanded ₦70m for her release and rejected attempts to negotiate a lower amount.

She added that the abductors seized the victims’ phones and only returned them whenever they wanted them to contact relatives over ransom payments.

Stephen said the abductors threatened the captives when ransom payments were not forthcoming.

“At some point, they were even threatening that if we were not able to provide the money, they would just sell us to ritualists and all that,” she said.

She said the kidnappers fled after hearing gunfire from approaching security operatives, leaving behind a bag containing phones and laptops taken from the victims.

“We were able to get back our phones. We were also able to get back the laptops. Thank God. We are now safe,” she said.

Daniel Injured During Escape Attempt

Daniel also recounted how he sustained an injury while attempting to escape shortly after the abduction.

He said he spotted an opportunity to flee into a nearby bush but was pursued by one of the kidnappers.

Daniel said he later received temporary treatment for the injury before the security operation reached the victims.

He added that one of the abductors identified himself as Peter, while the captors reportedly communicated in Igala, Fulani and Hausa.

Daniel expressed gratitude to the security personnel involved in the rescue but lamented the death of the local hunter during the operation.

He also said he assisted in moving the injured police officer to the point where they were evacuated despite his own injury.

“Even when I had this cut on my hand, I helped in carrying the officer from where we were held captive to the main road where we entered the car. My hand was swelling,” Daniel said.

He commiserated with the family of the hunter who died during the operation and thanked the security agencies for ensuring the captives regained their freedom.