After four days in the hands of captives, forty-six people kidnapped in Nasarawa local government area of Nasarawa state have regained their freedom.
One of the victims, Suleiman Ibrahim Eya said they were travelling towards Nasarawa when they saw some cars ahead of them, stressing that before they ununderstood what was happening they heard gunshots which made them stop.
He explained that about ten (10) armed men all with AK47 rifles, three of them in military uniform took 48 of them captive. He said the armed men shot two other passengers who were travelling with them and were also Fulani like the bandits themselves.
He added that they trekked for about three hours before they were allowed to rest near a hill and had to continue trekking the following day before the kidnappers made calls demanding for their ransom.
He explained that one of the victims was seriously beaten to coma by the kidnappers when they saw him with a bayonet, they thought he was a vigilante but later discovered he was a security agent.
Sulaiman said his father had to sell his land to raise part of the ransom, while his wife and relations contributed another amount that made up one million naira. “We spent four days wandering in the wilderness before our release. Others raised below one million naira before they could be released, ” he explained.
He said two young men from Borno and Nasarawa states who said they don’t have anybody to contact were severely beaten before they were released.
He lamented that the worst case was that of a young man whom he said was from hospital whose fresh medical operation tore and they kept carrying him on their back all the days they were in captivity.
Suleiman explained that they were fed on handful of boiled rice with palm oil as their daily ration, stating that on the day of their release, they were given roasted yam.
Confirming the incident, the chairman of Nasarawa local government area, Muhammad Sani Otto, called on kidnappers and other criminals to repent of their evil deeds before their arrest and prosecution.
He also called on relations of the abducted people to liaise with the authorities and delay payment to avoid continuation of kidnappings.
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ramban Nansel did not respond to phone calls.
