What Kidnappers Do With the Ransoms They Collect - Victim

One Mr. Idowu Ajayi was kidnapped along the Ikole-Ijesu road at 4:30pm on March 14th of this year. He has now been released and is speaking to the public via an interview with The Punch about what he experienced, what the kidnappers wanted from him, and what they do with the ransoms they collect from people. It was quite an interesting conversation and I would love to hear your thoughts about it, so without further ado, let me give you the highlights of the conversation. Then we'll talk.

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How were you kidnapped?

It happened along the Ikole-Ijesa Isu road at 4:30pm on March 14. I went to Ijesha Isu from Ikole to assist my mum to carry yams which was already by the roadside. I picked them and was on my way back when it happened. I got to a bad portion of the road, where I had to compulsorily slow down. As I applied the brake, I heard a gunshot-like sound and was confused about whether it was a gunshot or a tyre burst. Before I knew what happened, two armed men had emerged from the bush. I saw two others ahead and they started firing gunshots. We were two in my car because I offered a 14-year-old girl a free ride from Ijesa Isu to Ikole. As I saw them, not knowing two others were at the back also, I put the car on reverse gear, but with the punctured tyre and those at the back, I had to park. The gunmen were six in number, two of them were positioned before the bad portion, two were in the bush at the bad portion while the remaining two were after the bad portion. It was those at the pothole side that shot at the car tyre. They ordered me out of the car and started beating me. They smashed the car glasses and shot sporadically in the air to prevent other vehicles from coming. They searched the car and removed the N21,000 there as well took the N14,000 in my pocket. Later, they led me into the bush. We did not go farther than a pole away from the road. They collected my shoes, wristwatch and belt and ordered me and the girl to lie down.

Then what happened?

We left the place at 6:30pm when it was getting dark. We walked for about 30 minutes into an old cocoa farm. It was there they told me they were not ritualists, but kidnappers. They were Fulani men from Nigeria, Niger and Mali, according to them. Two of them could speak pidgin English fluently. Before we left, they went back to the car to remove my phone charger. They had about four large capacity power banks with which they charged their phones, they carried bags and had charms on their body. They had four AK-47 rifles and one double-barrel gun. They asked me to call my people. I called one of my brothers and I explained to him that I had been kidnapped, but my brother said they were aware. My phone was used for the calls all through. After each call around 5:30 and 6pm, they would switch the phone off. At about five minutes before calling my people, they would start flogging me. However, they did not torture the girl, they were kind to her. While moving around, if there is pawpaw or banana they would give her to eat, but I was denied access to food. They did not offer me food or water. The gunmen took garri and smoked cigarettes and hemp all along. They carried garri in their bags as well as water in plastic bottles. They packed any food found on any farmstead and made me carry such for them.

What was a typical day with the kidnappers like?

When it was about 7.30 to 8pm, we would start moving. We moved from Ijesa Isu to Oko Isaba then to Oko Ikoyi; from Oko Ikoyi to Oko Igbemo, we would roam about till daybreak, but when it was about 6am, they would look for a discreet location to hide. At that location, they would blindfold me, tie my arms to the back and put me somewhere. I would be in that position till about 7.30pm. Even there, they could be angry and would flog me. Whenever they smoked, they would extinguish the fire on my body. The suffering and torture were much for the four days I was with them. They were mean – there was even a time they saw a colony of army ants, they just placed me in the colony of the ants so that they would sting me. The pains are indescribable.

So how much did they want and what were they using the ransoms for?

When my people asked what was expected of them, the gunmen said my people should bring N30m. He told me that they were using all the ransom they got to buy ammunition.

You didn't have the N30 million so how did you regain your freedom?

After much pleading, they agreed with my family to set me free. They requested money alongside 12 bottles of plastic Origin, Kakaraka (sachet gin), three rolls of cigarette, and some others like Indomie. That Thursday, they led me and the girl back to Oko Ijesa, close to the road unknown to us it was preparatory to freedom. It was my brother and friend that came on a motorbike with the ransom. One gunman then called my brother to turn back and drive toward Ikole that someone would collect the items from them at a point. My brother called later to inform that he could not locate the person, they said he should come back to the leaves spot. All these were to ascertain there were no police trailing them. After, they asked my brother and his friend to wait, so they appeared to them, pointed guns at their heads and took them into the bush. I was not far away. My brother told them that the family sold many things to realize the N2.5m that they brought. They accepted the money after much pleading, but they seized my brother and friend and started flogging them mercilessly. One of them even threatened to kill my brother and the friend, it was one of the gunmen that pleaded with the colleague not to kill those who brought the ransom that he should leave them. It was at that point that they smashed my phone but returned my charger. Then they ordered that we must leave the place under two seconds. We scampered out.

How do you feel? Any final words of advice?

I really thank God. I was taken to the hospital for treatment immediately after release. After my incident, I told people to be careful on the road because I heard the gunmen say I was disturbing them, that my people ought to have come for my release since their assignment was still much. They spoke as if they were given target on the amount to make per week. I was released on Thursday and they kidnapped there again on Friday evening.

How did you feel when you learnt that Amotekun operatives had arrested one of them?

I was so excited. Since that experience, I was alarmed whenever anybody was kidnapped or the police arrested any kidnapper. So, when I saw the photograph of the gunman (one of the six kidnappers) on social media that he had been arrested, my heart skipped a beat; I recognized him.

Hmm. My people, please be very careful oh! These times that we are in are really something else. I'm so happy at least one of the six kidnappers have been caught. I'm hoping they all get caught and brought to book. The fact that this happened in broad day light at 4:30pm. The severe pains and torture the victim went through. The talk of them seeming like they have a target on how much to bring every week. Hmm. Please be very careful. These people are really something else.

What do you think of Idowu's story and the revelations that have come with it? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment either below or on my Jide Okonjo Facebook post.

That's All.

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