Tricycle rider shares his escape from kidnappers

A tricycle rider kidnapped with a female farmer in Abia State has shared how he used Igbo to reveal the location of his captors. This helped his family, security agencies, and community volunteers to rescue them.

Dennis Okechi told his story in a Facebook post on Monday, which ABN TV shared.

He said he and Onyinyechi Ekechukwu were taken on 10 June while coming back from their farm in Umuawa Alaocha community in Ohuhu, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia.

According to Okechi, six armed men stopped them, dragged them into a forest, and demanded a ransom of N10 million.

The Igbo message that made a difference

Speaking from his hospital bed, Okechi said the kidnappers later gave him a phone to contact his family. Instead of talking about the ransom, he used Igbo to secretly tell them where he was.

"I quickly used the Igbo language to alert them about the area where the bandits had dragged Onyinyechi and me. I told them that I was being held in the Udengwu area."

He said the kidnappers became suspicious and angry because he was not speaking English. They wanted to hear what he was saying to his family.

"They threatened to shoot me," he said.

Police confirm rescue

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, the police spokesperson in the state, Maureen Chinaka, confirmed the incident.

Ms Chinaka, who is a deputy superintendent of police, said the victims were taken around 10:30 a.m. by six suspected Fulani herders while they were coming back from the farm.

She mentioned that the command learned about the incident, leading the Ohuhu Divisional Police Headquarters to team up with vigilantes, forest guards, and local youths to rescue them.

"On sighting the operatives, the suspected kidnappers fled, abandoning the victims."

Chinaka said the victims were rescued successfully. One of them had injuries to the head and hand and was taken to the hospital for treatment. She added that investigations are ongoing to catch the kidnappers who ran away.

Growing security worries

This incident raises more concerns about kidnapping in Abia State.

Last month, police arrested a suspected kidnapper during a raid on a forest hideout in Old Umuahia. They rescued a victim and recovered part of a ransom that was paid to the suspects.

The state also saw public anger after the kidnapping of an orthopaedic surgeon, Bonaventure Aguocha. His release after nine days in captivity led the Nigerian Medical Association to cancel a planned strike.

This latest rescue shows how important it is for security agencies to work together with local communities to combat kidnapping issues in the state.