The family members of a kidnapped victim, Olufemi Omoregie, are gripped with fear as they cry out to Nigerians and the police for safety, over what they describe as a threat to life by some unknown men of the underworld.
The family averred that their lives has been scarred and marred, mentally traumatized, psychologically affected, and their faith questioned for being Christians.
Speaking to journalists on behalf of the family, Mr Fadayomi, an uncle to the Kidnapped victim, complained that on October 22, at about 6:30 pm, his nephew, Olufemi was kidnapped by gunmen at the Adeogun-Odetokun area of Akinyele Local Government of Oyo State, an area in the outskirt of Ibadan and majorly dominated by Hausas and Yorubas and other tribes who are mostly Muslims. He further narrated that “for about 48 hours, my nephew’s whereabouts was not known nor phones were available.
According to Mr. Fadayomi, his nephew was kidnapped because he is a Christian, and also as part of his faith and tenets, he and his family engage in weekly evangelism within the area resulting in a recent conversion of two sons of an Imam in their locality to Christianity. This development, he says gave birth to the threat to life and the kidnapping of his nephew Olufemi Omoregie.
He added that this revelation was made known to his nephew while at his captors den and that the reason why he was kidnapped was because he (Olufemi) and his other fellow Christian evangelists indoctrinated the Imam’s sons causing them to accept Christianity and their presence in the community was a threat to their own religion.
Mr. Fadayomi noted that his nephew was kidnapped because of his faith being a Christian, as there had been tensions in the vicinity since the February 2021 Sasa market violence which left many in tears over into needless loss of hundreds of lives including destruction of shops and buildings in the area. His nephew, Olufemi however was able to escape from the den of the kidnappers through God’s help whilst the kidnappers were arguing about what to do with his nephew’s body after killing him.
The threats took a toll on me, my children — Victim’s wife
Corroborating Olufemi’s detail of the incident, the victim’s wife, Oluwaranti, explained that immediately the kidnappers got the information about the reportage of the incident to the police, they started threatening the family, which led to a psychological breakdown as well as an unending scampering for safety among my children, and the extended family.
While calling for adequate safety for her husband and the children, the 37-year-old woman charged the government at all levels to put modern standards and procedures into the nation’s security architecture.
“My children’s attendance in school have been epileptic, due to these threats, as we don’t know what next these guys can do.
“It’s really taking a toll on us, and we can’t bear it anymore,” she added.
My life, family’s is at stake — Victim
The abducted victim, Olufemi a farmer, who could barely talk when correspondents visited him at the hospital, narrated his ordeal in the den of kidnappers, describing it as “an horrible experience”.
According to him, “I not only live in shock since my escape, I also live in palpable fear. I am afraid of embarking on trips, yet my survival is dependent on that. I and other victims were beaten and offered with poorly-made meals once in his 48-hour ordeal.
I was kidnapped because of my religion, for being a Christian; all I ever did was to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, save souls for Christ which to the Glory of God, two sons of the Imam in my locality are now believers themselves. But as it is, my life and that of my life has been threatened ever since, I was able to escape while my captors were arguing on what to do with our dead bodies after they kill us (I and the other 3 kidnapped victims in the room).
I need help, my life and that of my family is really at stake. These guys won’t cease to send text messages and also call our lines to threaten us. It’s beginning to look like a targeted attack.”
We established serious threats to Victim’s life, family — Police
- Manhunt launched to get kidnappers arrested
Confirming the attacks, the Oyo State Police Command, through its Criminal investigation Department, said in a statement that “it is a case of Kidnapping and Threat to Life, which was reported at Bodija Housing Police Station, Ibadan on October 22 and transferred to State Criminal investigation Department Ibadan for discreet investigation.”
The police, in its investigation, discovered that “as soon as the case was received, a statement of the complainant was taken. The scene was visited and some detectives were detailed for thorough investigation. Mr. Fadayomi’s statement was taken, and he narrated how he got the information about his nephew’s kidnapping incident.
“During the course of investigation, the following facts emerged;
“That the victim was kidnapped by unknown gunmen along Adeogun-Odetokun area of Akinyele Local Government on 22nd October, 2023.
“That the kidnappers threatened the members of the family not to report the incident to any security agents.
“That the incident was reported to the police by Mr Fadayomi on 22nd October, 2023.
“That the said Mr Olufemi Omoregie was brutally assaulted and traumatised by the kidnappers.
“That there was another futile attempt to kidnap the victim but it was foiled by security agents.
“That the said Mr Fadayomi is an uncle to the victim.
“That the kidnappers started sending anonymous messages to the immediate family members of the victim from October 25, when the victim’s line was retrieved and the case was reported to the police.
“That the kidnappers started threatening the members of the family after reporting the matter to the police.
“That Mr Olufemi had earlier been threatened in September 10th 2023 via anonymous phone messages to relocate his family elsewhere as Christians were unwanted in the vicinity.
“That the life of the family members of the victim is not secure any longer.”
The statement added that “the complainant and his family members should be very vigilant while promising that the perpetrators would be arrested soon and prosecuted accordingly.
Similar occurrences in the past
On October 28, 2022, The Cable reported that an unspecified number of motorists were kidnapped along the Lagos-Ibadan road, including Adigun Agbaje, a former deputy vice-chancellor (academics) of the University of Ibadan.
Agbaje regained his freedom after spending two nights in captivity.
On November 19, former Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, pledged adequate operational support in form of technology-based and tactical operational assets for the police commissioners in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo states, and heads of tactical operational units in the area to combat the current trend of crimes and criminality on the highway, Daily Post reported.
He called on road users, hunters, community leaders, and others plying the route to constantly expose known criminals along the road to the police and other security agencies for immediate arrest and prosecution.
Daily Trust reported on September 29, 2022, that men of the Oyo State Police Command have arrested two suspected kidnappers accused of targeting parents conveying children to school in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and its environs.
The suspects, according to the police boss, in July 2022, intercepted one Mrs Okafor Patience, while taking her children to school in her Toyota Rav-4 SUV and whisked her to an unknown destination for ransom.
Former CP Williams Adebowale said members of the kidnapping syndicate were heavily armed. He said in August, the suspects also kidnapped one Atitebi Ganiyat who was conveying her 8-year-old son to school in a Toyota Highlander SUV along Felele link road, Lagos/Ibadan expressway.
He said the child was abandoned in the car at Sagamu area of Ogun State.
“Sequel to these incidents, the Command Monitoring Unit arrested Abolaji Abdleazeez and Adewale Abolarinwa (the suspects) at their respective hideouts in connection with the crime.
“A Toyota Corolla vehicle which they used for the criminal activities and a cash sum of N2.5 million, which was part of the ransom they collected from the second victim were recovered from the suspects,” CP Adebowale.
Kidnapping and threat to life in Nigeria constitution
Section 86 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria states that any person who‐
(1) with intent to intimidate or annoy any person, threatens to break or injure a dwelling‐house;
or
(2) with intent to alarm any person in a dwelling‐house, discharges loaded firearms or commits any other breach of the peace, is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for one year.
If the offence is committed in the night the offender is guilty of a felony and IS liable to imprisonment for three years.
Section 323 of the same act states that any person who, knowing the contents thereof, directly or indirectly causes any person to receive any writing threatening to kill any person is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.
It further states in section 364 that any person who‐
(1) unlawfully imprisons any person, and takes him out of Nigeria without his consent; or
(2) unlawfully imprisons any person within Nigeria in such a manner as to prevent him from applying to a court for his release or from discovering to any other person the place where he is imprisoned, or in such a manner as to prevent any person entitled to have access to him from discovering the place where he is imprisoned, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for ten years.
In April 2016, former Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State gave assent to a new kidnapping (prohibition) bill 2016, which prescribes death sentence or life imprisonment for any person who engages in kidnapping, Vanguard reported.
The bill added that a convicted offender will be liable to life imprisonment if the victim is released or rescued unhurt upon the payment of a ransom, while the kidnapper will be compelled to pay back the ransom.
Similar punishment awaits any person who procures, engages or gives information culminating in the kidnapping of a victim.
. TheWitness
