By Fidelis David, Akure.
A Public Administration student of the Ondo State-owned Rufus Giwa Polytechnic in Owo, Ondo State, Odey Regina Olayemi, who was kidnapped recently and released after seven days in captivity, has narrated her ordeal while in the abductors’ den.
The 23-year-old Olayemi, who spoke to journalists at the headquarters of the Ondo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) in Akure, said she was kidnapped at her father’s farm located at Ago-Oyinbo village in Akure North Local Government Area of the state by four armed kidnappers.
Olayemi, who is an indigene of Anyikang in Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State, described her seven-day ordeal in captivity as horrific and traumatic.
The victim, who revealed that the sum of N350,000 was paid as ransom before she was released, said: “We were on vacation, so, I went to the village to help my sisters before our resumption in order to get money to take to school.
“On that fateful day, we were at the farm, and suddenly we saw three kidnappers coming towards us. I told my sisters that these Fulani people were coming to our side and that I was going to run, but they said I should not go anywhere and that they were not going to do anything to us.
“Unfortunately, when they got to us, they asked us to kneel down. At that moment, we started begging them. Two of them were with guns while the third person was with cutlass. They later asked me to stand up and follow them. They took a cassava stick and started beating me with it as we were going.
“I spent seven days with them; they asked for my dad’s number but I told them that I don’t know it by heart because I had already lost my memory. I later told them I was an orphan, just to see if they could pity and release me, but they said it was a lie, that they knew everything about my family.”
The state Commander of Amotekun, Mr. Adetunji Adeleye, who also spoke on how the victim was rescued, said the culprits have been arrested and will soon be charged in court.
Adeleye said the suspects were among the 29 suspects arrested by the corps for crimes including kidnapping, rape, illegal possession of firearms, cultism, and house-breaking among others.
While giving a breakdown on the number of suspects, Adeleye said 20 were arrested for kidnapping while nine were arrested for illegal possession of firearms, cult activity, and house-breaking among others.
The Amotekun chief, who doubles as the Special Adviser (Security Matters) to the Governor, added that: “This is to send a strong signal that even crossing the water will not deter Amotekun from fishing out these criminals out of Ondo State. The only solution is for them to leave the state. The signal we are sending to the public is that we will continue to rely on your cooperation, and we will also strive to ensure that Ondo State remains very safe.”
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