Pascal Oparada
Kidnappers in Nigeria have devised a means of evading arrests and prosecution by security operatives.
Apart from using their victim’s phones to call relatives of their victims and negotiate for ransom, they also use kidnapped victim’s bank accounts to take ransom money. They will only release the victim when they have withdrawn monies paid into their accounts to avoid being caught.
A Comedian, Efosa Japhet popularly known as Young Elder GCFR, narrated how narrowly escaped kidnappers on Benin Expressway while traveling for a show with a friend.
He said his friend, Miracle Aigbe, was not so lucky as she was abducted and a ransom of N1 million was paid through a victim’s bank account.
Speaking with Premium Times, he said: “As we were going, after the Benin bypass, we came across some military checkpoints. There is a particular Ayelala building on that express road, immediately we passed the checkpoint, Miracle Aigbe was seated at the back while I was sitting at the front with the driver. She was putting on an earpiece and was not too aware of our conversation and what was happening during the journey.
“Five minutes from the checkpoint, we noticed that someone came out from the bush, dressed in red beret, I didn’t really get a look. He rushed out from the bush and was shooting sporadically,” he narrated.
The comedian said in a split second, another person joined the armed man from the bush, and at that point, they realised the men were kidnappers.
“My driver matched the brake and attempted to reverse. Based on some orientations and stories we have heard about kidnapping, I immediately knew the people had their traps set for us at the back too. As soon as he reversed, I beckoned to my driver that some of them would be at the back.”
“It was like they were trying to contain us. My driver stopped the car and beckoned everyone in the car that we should run as fast as we can. We opened the doors at the same time and started running. We ran to the left side of the road, there was a little bit of hill and we climbed it,” he said.
“Those bandits were actually shooting as we were running, they kept shouting that if you run, I will shoot you. They were Hausa/Fulani people. I fell and stood up again, I kept running, following my driver,” he narrated.
Thinking that they had escaped the kidnappers, Mr Japheth said he and the driver hid in the bush for about 30 minutes, where they met another injured individual – who also escaped another set of kidnappers in another direction.
“As we were about to leave the bush, we suddenly heard footsteps and sounds of the kidnappers bringing people towards our direction. We immediately lie (laid) back on the ground, hiding.”
He added that they hid in the bush till about 5:50 p.m. almost an hour after the incident occurred. Fearing that they could be exposed if it gets darker, the comedian said he and the other two people decided to leave the bush after hiding for some time.
“When we ran out, we saw the Nigerian army, the police, and the vigilante were all there. We also realised that there were other vehicles affected, a Sienna, God is Good bus, a small car and others were at the side of the road.
“When I got home, I got a call from Miracle Aigbe’s phone saying that they have her and she was crying in the background. The kidnappers requested N35 million as a ransom for her to be released. I started negotiating for her release and pleading with them,” he narrated.
Mr Japheth said Ms Aigbe parents could not raise any amount as the mother is a petty trader and the father a bus driver.
“I told the kidnappers that N510,000 was all I had with me and they threatened to kill her if I mentioned the amount again. They later said I should pay N5 million.”
“They (kidnappers) said ”go and arrange the money, we will call and tell you how to send the money”. They called the following day and sent a bank account and phone number and instructed me to send the money there.
“It was later I realised that the account belongs to another victim’s brother who was instructed to collect ransom for about four victims,” he said.
