LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – A 23-year-old young lady, Odey Regina Olayemi, reportedly abducted by some gunmen, has narrated her ordeal in the hands of her abductors, describing it as “a horrific experience”.
Olayemi, who was released after seven days in the captive of her abductors, said she was working on her sister’s farm when the four armed men invaded the farm at Ago-Oyinbo village in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo.
She explained that the kidnappers immediately contacted her family demanding ransom but said after much negotiation, they demanded the sum of N350,000, which was paid after spending seven days with the kidnappers.
Speaking with journalists on 31 July at the Amotekun Corps headquarters in Akure, Olayemi said: “My mum and dad were in the town, I went to the village to help my sister on her farm so that when we resume, I will be able to get some money to take to school.
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“On that fateful day, we were at the farm, and suddenly we saw these three kidnappers coming towards our farm, I was afraid, but my sisters told me that they are Fulani herders and they are coming to our side. I wanted to run, but they warned me against the move that If I try to run, they will shoot me.
“They instructed us to kneel, and we knelt and begged them. Two of them were with guns, while the third person was with a cutlass. They later ordered us to follow them and beat us with cassava sticks until we get to the den.
“I spent seven days with them, they asked for my dad’s number, but I told them that I did not know it off-hand because I’d already lost my memory. I later told them I did not have parents again, that they have died, that I just came to the village to help my sisters so that I will get money to take care of myself when I get back to school.
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“But they told me every information about me and told me they knew everything about my family, and I later gave them my number because I was not with my phone on that day.
“They called my number and talked with one of my sisters and informed her that I was in their custody and negotiated with my family that they have kidnapped me.
“It was my sister who now went to the Amotekun office to report and they swung into action to rescue me, and I thank God that they rescued me,” she revealed.
Amotekun Corps Commander Adetunji Adeleye, while speaking on the development, disclosed how the young lady was rescued, adding that about 29 suspects had been arrested for their involvement in various criminal activities in the State in recent times.
“The resurgence of kidnapping within the State made us go deep into forests to fish out these kidnappers, and we were able to pick up these suspected criminals, especially the kidnappers, and we are also able to rescue victims who have gone through terrible times in their hands.
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“We have a total number of 29 criminals, and about 20 of them are suspected kidnappers. We also invited all those that came to complain that they were kidnapped in the last three to four months in the state, and they were able to identify majority of them.
“As a matter of fact, we have to cross the river before we were able to arrest them, and we were equally attacked by majority of them. We also found out that these criminals live in our forests along Ala-Dada, Jugbere, up to Ijagba and we were able to comb the forests.
“Some of these criminals engage in feedings victims, charging their phones, and a lot of other things that they do to keep the kidnappers going.
“This is to send a strong signal that even crossing the water will not deter Amotekun from fishing these criminals out of Ondo state. The only solution is for all these criminals and kidnappers to pack and leave Ondo state.
“The signal we are sending to the public is we will continue to rely on your cooperation and we will also strive to ensure that Ondo state remains very safe. There is no cause for alarm,” he said.