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| Orjiakor, kidnap victim with matchete cuts on his back |
Orjiakor had arranged with his in-laws in Amanachi in Imo State to have his traditional marriage on April 16 and had invited friends, business associates and kinsmen for the function. He was also in high spirit as he had made available all things needed for the ceremony.
It was less than 24 hours to the event as he was returning to Ihiala from his in-laws in Amanachi, where he had gone to ensure that every arrangement was properly made, gunmen intercepted and abducted him.
His abductors left his elder brother who was with him in his Sport Utility Vehicle (Highlander Jeep) and took him away in their own SUV (Infinity Jeep) while taking along his own car.
His bride-to-be and both families cried and prayed that he be released that night to be able to perform his marriage rites and attend to visitors, some who had started arriving town, but this was not to be as he was in the hoodlums’ den for eight days.
For Orjiakor, it would have been double tragedy, his wedding aborted and his live was on the verge of being exterminated.
Therefore, he pleaded with the kidnappers to take all he had, spare his live and allow him go for his traditional marriage, but the appeal to attend his wedding fell on deaf ears.
He told Daily Sun that his abductors were dead serious as they asked him for money up to N50 million, telling him that his people had told them about him.
Orjiakor who narrated his ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers at the police headquarters Awka about two hours after he was rescued said: “I was kidnapped. It was on a Sunday being 15th of April. I wanted to do my marriage ceremony on 16th of April. So, I went to my in-law’s place to ask them how they are preparing about the marriage. My in-law’s place is at Amanachi in Imo State and I’m from Ihiala.
“So, on my way going back to my village, Ihiala, I was in my vehicle, Toyota Highlander, ash colour with my elder brother. On my way going, there is a place between Imo and Anambra; there is a pothole; so, immediately I slowed down at that pothole, I saw one Infinity Jeep across me. Five boys came out of that jeep, all of them were armed with guns and they said I should not go anywhere, that if I move, they will shoot me.
“Immediately, I removed my foot from the throttle, I went down and my brother also went down. They collected all my phones, carried me and put me inside their own vehicle and one of them drove my own. When they carried me, I didn’t know where I was. I kept begging them to please leave me. As at that time, I never knew they left my brother.
“I was begging inside that vehicle and they were beating me, saying if I talk they will shoot me. I was begging them that I wanted to do my traditional marriage on the 16th; that they should carry the vehicle and go and I had N100, 000 that I will use for the traditional marriage. I told them, please, I have N100, 000 in the car and some money in my pockets, please take all and leave me because my friends and relations will come for the traditional marriage.
“They said I’m going to die today, do you have N50 million, how much do you have in the bank? They then took me to one house and immediately we got there, they used cloth to tie my eyes. They tied my eyes and used leg cuffs and put on my legs. I stayed there from that Sunday to this morning. The one that is beside me, I told that one that please; today is my marriage, that they should collect all these things and leave me. That one said that nothing concerns him, that it’s their boss that can say that; that I should not worry; that if their Oga comes, they will leave me and I will go, but I stayed that day and that day ended, they didn’t do anything.
“After two to three days, one man came there and said what of your brother? I said my brother is the one that you caught two of us. He told me that they left him. He said who will bring money? He asked what of my father and I said my father is late. He said what of my mother; I said my mother is alive. He said, who will bring N50 million for us? I said I don’t have any relation that can afford that kind of money. He said what, what do you mean? It means you are going to die. It means that this is the end of your life. I said please and he said do I think that they are playing or what? I continued pleading that I don’t have anybody that can bring that kind of money. He said what of my brother; that they left my brother so that he can bring the money.
“This thing was happening around 1:00 a.m, they gave me phone and took one big machete and put on top of stove, they will use that thing and touch my back so that I will shout and tell my brother to bring N50 million so that they will release me. My brother told them that we don’t have N50 million; that they should release me. They said who again do you want to call? I then called my Oga; he is from Imo State where my mother comes from. He’s the man that trained me. I said Oga, please, they said you should bring N50 million so that they can release me. My Oga said that he doesn’t have that kind of money. Let say what we can afford, that they should not kill or torture me. My Oga started begging them.
“From that Thursday on, I don’t know the days again because they covered my eyes. If I tell them that I want to ease myself, they will bring bucket. If I tell them that I want to defecate, they will bring bucket. They gave me food once in two or three days. I was there and another day, one of them came again and said, have you prepared the money and I said, how will I prepare the money when you people kept me here? He said, won’t you call your brothers to bring that money? I said, okay, give me phone and let me call them. They gave me phone and I called that my Oga and my Oga will beg them and tell them that he doesn’t have that kind of money.
“From that N50 million, they cut down to N20 million. They said, okay, can you afford N20 million? My Oga said he doesn’t have that kind of money; that we are from poor family, that nobody can raise that kind of money. They said that means that they want me to die and that I will die, that they have another work at hand and that it is not only me that they have at hand. The other one that was staying with me told me that they have too much work, that their Oga is getting angry and that if I’m not serious, they will be attending to other people that are serious; that they will kill me today (Tuesday) because they have other outside work that they want to go.
“I said okay, give me phone let me tell my people. The other one said, can that your Oga provide N10 million for us? I said okay, give me phone and let me tell him. He said okay, that their Oga will come. Then, that one they used to call second-in-command came and said, you don’t want to bring that money? I said which money will I bring? You people kept me here, how will I see money to bring? He said that my brother should bring the money. He then said I should tell him the truth; can my brother afford that money?
“ I told them that my brother cannot afford that N10 million. He said what do you mean? You mean that you want to die? You think that we just caught you? He said that it’s people that give them information for me to bring N50 million. It’s your people that gave us the information. You will die, you will die here.
“I continued pleading and he asked how much can that your Oga bring? I said they can bring N2 million. He said N2 million? Don’t you know that we are more than 15 in number? If we share N15 million, how much will each person get? He said that means I will die and he then said that they will go to outside work on Tuesday and I don’t even know the day that is Tuesday or Wednesday. I lost my memory. They said that they are going to come on Tuesday and that Tuesday, if your brothers didn’t speak well, we are going to kill you that day. It’s not only your work we have, how much is your work self? There is one work we wan go now, if we go there, we make N200 million, N100 million. I said please, make una save my life.
“That yesterday, one guy that brought food for me, he said that yesterday was Monday, I said hey, and tomorrow is Tuesday. He said we are expecting our Oga to come that Tuesday night. I asked the guy and said, what is my brother saying? He said he doesn’t know, but that I should not worry, when their Oga comes, he will let me know. Then I prayed, saying. That time they tied my eyes, I used to see small from the down part anybody who comes near me and I monitor their voices. So, anybody that comes, I will know and anybody that came near me, I knew all of them. In the morning (Tuesday), I called Oga, Oga, one came, I said please I want to ease myself. He said you want to ease yourself; your people don’t want to bring the money for us. It means that you will die.
“You are going to die today. Your people don’t want to bring the money for us. I said please I want to ease myself. That should be around after 6:00a.m today (Tuesday) because I was seeing light. One said okay, I can see that you use to remove all these things we take cover your eyes. I will now bring tape to tape your eyes and mouth. I said abeg no do like that, where is that your Oga, let me know what my people are saying. He said they expected their Oga last night, he didn’t come, and maybe he will come this morning (Tuesday).”
Fortunately, unknown to Orjiakor God had sent rescuers in the form of the Anambra State Police Command who within few minutes after and surrounded the whole place rescued him and in the process killed four members of the kidnap gang.
“Under five or ten minutes we said these things, I started hearing voices and they are saying police is around, police is around. So, I started hearing scattered noise and I was thinking that maybe they brought someone, another person or they are planning how to kill me. So, small time, I heard some voice saying, remove that thing on your eyes, I said eeeh? He said remove it! Then I opened it and I saw that they are policemen. I was still surprised. I thought whether they are those guys that dressed like police. I wasn’t sure. I was still begging, saying please, please.
They said I should get up. They then looked at my legs and said okay, come out gradually.
“Immediately, I came out, I saw that policemen were too much. That time, I now breathe down and said thank God, I am alive. Immediately, the police came out with some group of boys, he asked me, do you know any of them? I said I know all of them. I said they tied my eyes, but I used to see them, I know their voices.
“So, I asked one, you said you are going to kill me today. He agreed. I asked the other one, you are the one that said that you will tape my eyes and my mouth this morning, he agreed. The policemen then carried all of us out with four of them.”
Orjiakor thanked God for saving his life through the police.
-sun
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