Royal father narrates ordeal in kidnappers’ den for 5 days

The Obaro of Jakura, Chief Usman Ajibola Adoga who recently regained his freedom from kidnappers’ den after about five days in captivity has narrated his ordeal. Daily Trust reports that the Obaro was kidnapped on July 17 on his way to Lokoja when his son was shot dead in the encounter. He spoke yesterday at […]

The Obaro of Jakura, Chief Usman Ajibola Adoga who recently regained his freedom from kidnappers’ den after about five days in captivity has narrated his ordeal.

Daily Trust reports that the Obaro was kidnapped on July 17 on his way to Lokoja when his son was shot dead in the encounter.

He spoke yesterday at the Kogi Police Command when the police paraded the suspects that allegedly kidnapped the royal father and some other persons in recent times.

“We saw somebody standing at a distance ahead just as we were asking who the person could be, gunmen from both sides of the road started firing. Their first gun shot hit my son and he shouted hey! When I turned to look at my boy, they pushed me in the bush.

“They asked for N60m ransom and later they brought it to N30m. They said I built a mansion in Jakura and how would I say I don’t have money.

“I told them I was a teacher before retiring for this appointment. I don’t have money. I told them I built the house when I was about to leave service because I had to put together the cooperative and whatever to achieve that.

“They tortured me, I was rough handled, they were all masked by their outlook they looked like Fulani. They were speaking Fulani but when they want to communicate with me, one of them could speak in Yoruba though not very fluent but at least he was communicating”, he said.

He said two others could speak pidgin English explaining that he suffered a lot of trauma after five days adding that he does not even know how much was given but he was sure something was given before he was released.

Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police command has paraded five suspected said to be responsible for the abduction of the royal father and other persons in recent times.

Parading the suspected kidnappers before newsmen, the state police commissioner, Ali Janga said the five suspects were arrested based on intelligent report.

According to him, one of the suspects, Ibrahim Musa who was part of the gang which abducted Father Micheal at Irepeni village along Lokoja-Okene road and Chief of Jakura, gave useful information to the police, adding that the command is on the trail of other suspects connected with that incidents.

The police commissioner said the sum of N240,000 and other exhibits were collected from the arrested suspects.

Janga, who said a total sum of N1.1m was paid as ransom to the gang members  before the chief of Jakura was left off their hook, noted that the command will arraign the suspects in the law court immediately they complete their investigation.

One of the suspect, Musa confessed taking part in the said kidnapping operation, saying that one of the gang members, Shagari shot and killed the son of the chief of Jakura in one of their operations in that axis.

Musa who hailed from Niger state said he was into kidnapping and robbery business for years,  adding that he relocated to Kogi State with others to continue making money from criminal activities.