Female kidnappers fed me bread for 13 days - Victim

A 43-year-old trader, Mrs. Christiana
Gbadamosi, who was kidnapped on
June 22, 2013, in Ikorodu, Lagos State,
has been released by her captors.
PUNCH Metro had reported on June 28
that the victim was kidnapped on her
way to her shop and the kidnappers
had demanded N25m ransom from her
husband, Mufutau.
Christiana, who was released on July 4,
2013, 13 days after her abduction, told
our correspondent that she initially
thought she was abducted for ritual
purpose.
She said, "On that fateful day, I was
heading to my shop at Ayangburen
Road, near Oba Palace, Ikorodu, around
8am.
"The area was quite deserted and all of
a sudden, some men sprayed
something into my eyes, whisked me
into their vehicle and drove away. They
continued to drive for hours without
saying a word. So, I thought they
wanted to kill me and use me for
money ritual.
"After some hours, they pulled me out
of the vehicle and took me into an
uncompleted building. The building is
built like a boy's quarters and about
three women were there to receive
me. They put me into a room and
locked me inside."
She said she met two other female
victims in the camp but she was not
allowed to communicate with them.
Christiana said she was given bread to
eat for 13 days.
She said, "On the first day I got there, I
was given bread and water but I
refused to eat it because I thought it
had been poisoned. However, after
some days, I began to eat the bread
because I believed if they wanted to
kill me, they could as well shoot me.
They gave me bread and butter or
bread and akara throughout my stay.
"I saw two other female victims there
and they looked pale as if they had
been there for a long time. We were
not allowed to communicate because
we were locked in separate rooms but
in the mornings, we were allowed to
bathe at the same time so I used to
see them.
"Apart from the bread, they left some
yellow garri and water in my room
which I was allowed to take anytime. I
did not drink the garri."
The victim said the camp was run by
three women who usually threatened
to kill them if their families were
unable to pay ransom.
Christiana said during her stay, one of
the female victims was released after
the family paid her ransom.
She said on some occasions, she was
allowed to speak to her husband in
order to remind him of the
consequence of not paying the ransom.
She said, "The women told me that if
my husband did not pay up, they would
have no choice but to kill me because
they could not continue to feed me.
One day, they called my husband and
they gave me the phone to talk to
him. I begged the kidnappers, telling
them we could not afford the ransom
but they beat me up so that my
husband would hear.
"They then gave my husband an
ultimatum and warned him that they
would kill me if he could not pay
before a specified time."
PUNCH Metro learnt that after some
negotiations, the family was able to
pay some money after which the victim
was dumped around Ile Igbon, a
community between Oyo and Osun
states.
Christiana, who is recuperating at a
hospital in Ikorodu, said she was
thankful to God for keeping her alive.
Our correspondent, who visited the
hospital, observed as members of her
church, came in droves to rejoice with
the family.
Christiana, who is a chorister at
Redeemed Christian Church of God,
Covenant of Peace Parish, said she did
not suspect anyone for the crime
because she was at peace with
everybody.
The victim's husband however urged
the state government and the Nigeria
Police to beef up security as kidnapping
in Lagos State had risen significantly.
He said, "A day before my kidnap, the
kidnappers had attempted to kidnap
my children at my shop but they failed.
However, they succeeded the following
day. These kidnappers move around
every day, kidnapping innocent people
and putting so many families through
hell.
"We need the government as well as
the police to sit up. Nigeria did not
used to be like this before."
Mufutau, who refused to disclose how
much was paid as ransom, said his
wife's captors were educated men
because "they spoke Queens English."
Source: punch