My Terrifying Kidnap Experience — Victim

Mrs. Adefunke Ale, a kidnap victim, recounted her harrowing experience after being abducted at Amurin along the Akure/Owo Road in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State while en route to Akure.

Ale shared with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure on Tuesday that she was ambushed by eight suspected kidnappers on October 15 while travelling to Akure from Owo, both cities being in Ondo State. She said that her brother, Mr. Yemi Ogunmolasuyi, was driving the car during the incident.

Detailing the events, Ale disclosed that the kidnappers, armed with AK-47 rifles and without covering their faces, intercepted their vehicle. “We were waylaid by four kidnappers at Amurin, and another set of four kidnappers were positioned at the back of the car,” she recalled.

Recalling the terrifying ordeal, Ale narrated, “They fired shots at our car, and we had to stop; all the car doors were opened. Four of them directed me to the bush, while the other four took my elder brother.”

She recounted that exhaustion caused her to fall on muddy ground in the bush. “They had to drag me, causing wounds on my legs. During this, they took my bag, which contained valuables such as my international passport, driver’s license, cell phones, national identity card, ATM card, and a smaller bag,” Ale said.

Despite being stranded, she lamented that passing motorists did not stop to offer help. However, she expressed gratitude to the police officers who eventually rescued her and took her to the hospital for medical care.

Ale struggled to stand up due to her injuries and had to crawl to reach the roadside. She explained, “There was heavy traffic congestion because our vehicle was blocking the road.”

She described how she sought help from motorists to no avail for almost 30 minutes before some individuals emerged from the nearby bushes, offering assistance. “I pleaded for help, but soon after, the police arrived. I informed them that my brother was taken by the kidnappers, and they decided to take me to their station to report the incident,” Ale recounted.

She further added, “Upon arriving at the Emure-Ile Police Station, the DPO instructed them to rush me to the Federal Medical Centre in Owo (FMC) for medical treatment.”

Ale’s brother spent six days with the kidnappers as they initially demanded a ransom of N100 million.

In her appeal to the government, Ale urged authorities at all levels to find a lasting solution to the increasing incidents of kidnapping on Nigerian roads, expressing how the incident had instilled fear, making her hesitant to travel since then.

(NAN)