Kidnappers spoke Igala, Fulani, Hausa,' Kogi victims recount ordeal

Two of the 16 individuals abducted in Nigeria's Kogi State have recounted their harrowing experience after being rescued by a joint security operation. Ngozi Stephen and Joshua Daniel, who were held captive for nearly 48 hours, described the moments leading up to their abduction on Sunday by armed criminals who attacked commuters along the Ojuwo–Ajengo–Memarebo and Ojiwo–Itobe roads in Ofu Local Government Area.

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So, they told me, tell this person N50 million, tell this person N100 million, tell this person N70 million. That was how they were sharing it.

During their captivity, Ngozi, who speaks fluent Hausa, was forced by the kidnappers to act as an interpreter, relaying ransom demands to the other victims. The amounts varied, with some individuals told to pay 50 million Naira, others 100 million, and Ngozi herself was asked for 70 million Naira. When she pleaded for a reduction, the captors threatened violence.

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

The kidnappers confiscated the victims' phones, switching them off, but would return them at times to allow victims to contact relatives for ransom payments. Ngozi stated that the abductors threatened to sell them to ritualists if the money was not provided. The captives were left behind with their belongings, including phones and laptops, when the kidnappers fled upon hearing the approaching security forces.

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Even me, they said N70 million. So, even when I tried to plead and ask them to reduce it a little, they threatened to beat me up because they were beating people and all that.

Joshua Daniel recounted being injured while attempting to escape shortly after their capture. He fled into a bush but was pursued by an abductor who attacked him with a knife. Daniel raised his hand to defend himself, sustaining a cut to his vein that caused significant bleeding throughout the night. He managed to stop the bleeding the next morning using herbs. Daniel also identified one of the captors as Peter and noted that the group spoke Igala, Fulani, and Hausa.

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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.