‘They would sell us to ritualists’: Rescued victims recount terror of Ofu LGA kidnapping

Two of 16 victims rescued from kidnappers in Kogi State’s Ofu Local Government Area have recounted harrowing experiences of ransom demands reaching N100 million, threats to sell captives to ritualists and a cutlass attack on a victim attempting escape.

As reported by Channels Television, Ngozi Stephen revealed she was forced to interpret ransom demands in Hausa because she speaks the language. “They told me, tell this person N50 million, tell this person N100 million,” she said, adding that when she attempted to negotiate her own N70 million demand down, abductors threatened to beat her.

The Sun reports that victim Joshua Daniel said he was attacked with a cutlass while attempting escape, bleeding throughout the night before applying herbs to stem the wound.

The victims were rescued Monday during a joint Nigerian Army, Navy, police and vigilante operation, with abductors fleeing upon hearing gunshots and leaving behind seized phones and laptops.