A Nigerian man who was abducted in Umunze, Anambra State, is speaking out about the appalling conditions in the community and how kidnappers have taken over control. The freed victim shared his harrowing experience at the hands of his captors.
The victim, who was driving from Onitsha, was intercepted by a white Mercedes Benz GLK at a petrol station. Five armed men, dressed in police uniforms, forced him into the back seat of his car. They were armed with AK-47 rifles.
When the kidnappers realized that the victim’s Lexus SUV had no fuel, they ordered the fuel attendants to fill up the tank.While the victim’s car was being refueled, another RX 330 drove up to purchase fuel. The kidnappers also seized control of this vehicle and its driver, abandoning the Mercedes GLK they had used to reach the petrol station.
The kidnappers blindfolded two of their captives and instructed them to face down while they sped away. The journey from the tollgate junction to Umunze in Orumba took approximately three hours. Despite being blindfolded, no police officers stopped them during the three-hour journey. The victim was unsure whether they had passed through any security checkpoints.
Upon arrival, the kidnappers informed their captives that they were at the ESN headquarters in Umunze. The victim’s family reported the abduction to the police, who tracked the vehicle. As soon as the tracking device indicated Umunze,the police stated that it was a “no-go area” due to the ESN headquarters being located there.
The kidnappers demanded ten drums of bullets, each costing N1,650,000, for a total of N16.5 million. Alternatively, they demanded four AK-47 rifles. When they discovered that the victim had over N4.5 million in his bank accounts, they reduced their ransom demands and began withdrawing money using a POS machine. They continued to demand more money, and the victim’s family transferred an additional N1.8 million, bringing the total amount paid to over N6.3 million.
The kidnappers have effectively taken over the entire Umunze community. Residents seek out their assistance in resolving disputes, and no one dares to involve the police. The victim recalls an instance when a palm wine tapper passed by and exchanged pleasantries with the kidnappers. The palm wine tapper even inquired about their leader.
Upon the victim’s release, the kidnappers confiscated his mobile phones and car, instructing him to write his phone number on the car’s floor mat. They stated that they would abandon the car in a similar manner to the Mercedes GLK and that the phone number he wrote on the floor mat would be used to contact him when the car was discovered. The victim complied with their instructions.
As the kidnappers led the victim and the other captive back to the main road after their release, they displayed burnt vehicles, claiming to have seized them from the military and police. The victim revealed that there were only two captives in the camp. Their boss occasionally visits the camp by motorbike and does not stay long. Even the villagers show him respect.
The victim hopes that this story will garner national attention and prompt the deployment of additional police forces to the region. He believes that if the local police and even the community are too afraid to act, then assistance from higher authorities is necessary to restore order to the area.