Former Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, Eze Samuel Ohiri, has recounted his horrible experience in the kidnappers’ den after 12 days in captivity.
Ohiri, who was kidnapped on January 6, by unidentified gunmen, narrated the unforgettable experience at his palace on Wednesday.
The traditional ruler was kidnapped in front of his compound in Orodo, Mbaitoli Council Area of Imo State, at about 08:30 am.
He told journalists as reported by The PUNCH that he was not rescued by the tactical intervention of the Nigeria Police Force operatives or any security agency, adding that he paid ransom to regain his freedom.
According to him, the ransom payment was made in two instalments, after spending 12 days in the kidnappers’ den.
He, however, did not disclose the amount he paid as ransom.
Decrying the horrible experience, the monarch explained that neither the police nor any other security agency made any attempt to rescue him while he was in captivity.
He said, “I wouldn’t have opened up, but I have to act this time to tell the world the truth because of the viral social media report. I don’t like any organisation hiding under government cloak to speak lies, deceive the society and self-aggrandize itself.”
Eze Ohiri said that he came back to celebrate the 2023 Christmas and 2024 New Year with his family, the people of Obi Orodo community, Mbaitoli Local Government Area people, and Imo State at large, only for him to wake up in the early hours of that fateful day - January 6, 2024 – to be kidnapped by “what I can describe as ‘merciless boys (men)’”.
He said, “It was when I was coming back around 8:30 am, after visiting one of my old boys, who is an indigene of my community, that I, unfortunately, met able-bodied men within my palace, who came out from their vehicle and whisked me into their vehicle after a horrible struggle.
“I was forced in but I thank God that nobody was shot because they were with guns. I thank God again as my cousin brother smartly introduced himself to them as my driver and was freed. They blindfolded me and zoomed off to an unknown location.
“They first kept me in an uncompleted building, before I was transferred to another place. I saw hell during the 12 days I spent with my abductors. At first, it looked as if they have some special scores to settle with traditional rulers and politicians, but luckily for me, their leader came to the camp and ordered them not to torture me, that I am a decent man.
“Negotiation started at that point between my people and the kidnappers. It eventually resulted to my regaining my freedom after the first and second ransom was paid.”
He said that they took him alongside another victim to Eziama Obiato, a community in the Mbaitoli council area along the Onitsha-Owerri expressway at night. It was from there he found his way back to Owerri at the popular Control Post Junction, where his people came and took him back to the palace.
He added, “While in the den, my food was water, two raps of gala and sometimes bread with water in the night. That is why I described them as being merciless.”
Meanwhile, shortly after he regained his freedom, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Henry Okoye, told journalists that Ohiri had been abducted from his residence in the Orodo community two weeks earlier.
He said he had been rescued unhurt by operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping unit after a hot duel with the kidnappers in the forest.
The police spokesman said that during the raid, the operatives arrested one of the abductors while the others fled.
He said the command had earlier apprehended one of the kidnappers during a manhunt, adding that the suspect informed the police of the whereabouts of the others.
According to Okoye, the kidnappers, upon sighting the police, engaged them in a gun battle but were overpowered by the operatives.