Friday, August 14, 2026 - One of the 16 kidnap victims rescued in Kogi State, Victor Anyichie, has recounted how the abductors allegedly beat him almost to d3ath after he told them that his family could only afford N500,000 ransom ransom.
Anyichie and the other victims were abducted last
Sunday when armed men attacked commuters along the Ojuwo-Ajengo-Memarebo and
Ojiwo-Itobe roads in Ofu Local Government Area of the state.
The victims were rescued on Monday during a joint
operation involving the Nigerian Army, Navy, police and local vigilantes along
the Ajaokuta-Anyigba road in Ofu
Speaking at the Kogi State Police Command headquarters after
his release, Anyichie said the kidnappers demanded varying amounts of ransom
from the victims, ranging from N2 million to N100 million.
He said he became the target of the abductors’ anger after
telling them that his family could only raise N500,000.
“I happened to be the only one who collected every beating
of my life in their hands. They would say, ‘You, N70 million; you, N100
million; you, N50 million; and children, N2 million.’
“I told them my people could only raise N500,000. Suddenly,
they descended on me, beating me mercilessly. Those goons really beat the life
out of me.
“I was lucky I survived it. If not for the grace of God,
they could have gone further, which might have resulted in something else,” he
said.
Anyichie said he noticed some members of the gang in a red
Toyota Yaris posing as passengers shortly before the attack.
He said the vehicle overtook their bus and blocked its path
after their driver failed to respond to a signal from another vehicle to move
ahead.
“Our driver tried to enter the bush, but unfortunately, six
of them emerged, shooting sporadically. Their leader had an AK-47, another
carried a pump-action rifle, while the third had a pistol,” he said.
According to him, the kidnappers constantly moved the
victims from one location to another and appeared to have informants monitoring
their movements.
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