Inside Story Of Jamiu Olanrewaju a.k.a. Victor’s Tragedies

Born into the large family of Alhaji Musa Fayomi Olanrewaju of Kabba, Kogi State, Mr. Olanrewaju Jimoh Jamiu, fondly known as Victor, is the youngest of 20 children. He was born into a Muslim home, albeit raised by his uncle in the quiet town of Omuo-Ekiti. His uncle introduced him to the Christian faith that would later define his life.

When his father passed away in April 2012, Victor’s world shifted painfully. He was pressured by his family to renounce his Christianity faith after his father’s demise. He was cast out by his extended family when he refused to do so. From that point on, his circle of love narrowed as he remained in touch only with his mother and a few siblings who shared his convictions.

Tragedy struck again on July 8, 2016, while he was travelling to Benin City, Edo State. Victor and other passengers were abducted when their vehicle was ambushed at a gunpoint along the Okene–Okpella route, and they were taken deep into a forest. The kidnappers demanded ₦30million as ransom, a sum far beyond his reach. For four harrowing days, Victor faced hunger, fear, and the darkness of uncertainty.

Victor realised it might have been a setup when his companions were released on the fourth day. With courage that could only come from faith, he escaped through the dense forest, running for hours until he collapsed near a patrol point where security personnel rescued him.

In the aftermath, there were whispers that his ordeal was not random. It was discovered that his conversion from Islam to Christianity had made him a target. Victor pressed on without relenting. He married a kind-hearted Christian woman from Ibadan South-West LGA of Oyo State. Together, they tried to build a peaceful life. But peace was fleeting. The couple began receiving death threats and menacing messages, warning them to abandon their faith. Their business opportunities were sabotaged, and friends withdrew in fear.

The most devastating blow for them was the death of their infant son, Great, in 2020. The baby, barely old enough to smile, reportedly died after suspected poisoning. Doctors tried desperately to save him, but to no avail. Victor and his wife were shattered. To them, this was not just a tragedy. It was persecution striking at the very core of their joy.

In January 2022, grief revisited the family when Victor’s brother, Pastor Musa Ismaila Olanrewaju, another Christian convert, fell mysteriously ill and died shortly after being injected during a medical visit. The cause of his death remains shrouded in suspicion.

Fearing for their lives, Victor moved his family to Suleja, Niger State, hoping for a fresh start away from the hostility. But even there, the threats found them. In July 2023, his brother Musa Yunisa Ibrahim was kidnapped, only to be rescued days later by the Nigeria Police Force.
Victor’s home at No. 2 Adebayo Street, Gwazunu, Suleja, came under repeated attack soon after his brother’s abduction.

His car was smashed, his belongings stolen, and his home desecrated. He suffered from insecurity in a place that once symbolised safety. It was turned into a constant reminder of danger.

It has been silence from Victor since then. He has vanished.

No one knows whether he has been kidnapped again, forced into hiding, or worse. His phone remained unreachable, and his trail has gone cold. As of today, his whereabouts remain unknown. The police continued to investigate, but his family was tired, grieving, and fearful.

They only hold on to the hope that Victor, a man who had already endured so much, is still alive somewhere. This hope leads them to the belief that somehow his faith, which had carried him through storms, might carry him home once again.