The Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr Samuel Kanu-Uche, has narrated how the bandits who kidnapped him and two others finally settled for N100 million ransom.
The kidnappers, who he identified as Fulanis, showed him decomposing bodies of some past victims who had been killed and dumped
The cleric spoke in Lagos on Tuesday on his kidnap experience at a press briefing.
He was kidnapped on Sunday along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in the Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State. Those kidnapped with him were his chaplain, Very Rev. Abidemi Shittu, and the Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark.
He was on his way to the Port Harcourt Airport to catch a flight. “In order to catch up with my flight at 4pm, we took off by 2pm to go to the airport, oblivious of the fact that kidnappers were waiting on the road.
“As we were descending to Ileru in Abia State, they came out from the bush and divided themselves into three groups.
“Some were at the back, some at the centre. Then there was another group in front to make sure we did not run away. They fired shots at our vehicle and eventually abducted three of us. The communication man of the church and the driver escape
“They took us into the bush and tortured us. In the process of the torture, I hit my right eye on a tree and even when blood was flowing and was soaking my handkerchief, they did not feel like anything happened. All they said was that we should follow them.”
“They abducted three out of five of us. The driver and communication man of the church was able to escape, while they captured me, the Bishop of Owerri and the Chaplain.
“They led us into the bush and tortured us, during the process, I hit my right eye on the tree and even when blood was flowing and my handkerchief was soaked with blood, they didn’t feel like anything happened.”
He identified their abductors as being all Fulanis
“I told them that I am not a government official and they said that was what saved me, if not they would have killed me outrightly without asking for any ransom. We trekked inside the bush going up and down for like 15 kilometres.
“At exactly 11 pm, they started the negotiation and said each of us will pay N50 million and the total will be N150 million. I taught it was a joke, I said we are going to pay N10 million, and they said what? They wanted to cut me but didn’t before showing me the decomposed bodies of those they have killed.
“These boys were within 18 years and their leader will be around 35 years. One of them understands English but the others were speaking Fulani not even Hausa. They took all my valuables and money.
“In the end, they settled for N100 million and said it was not negotiable that if I talk they will kill us and forget the ransom and go ahead to kidnap others.
“They even attempted to kill the Bishop of Owerri and that they will let his blood spilt on me then I will know that they were serious.”
The Prelate noted that all these were happening in a place not far from where soldiers were stationed.
“Where they are situated, there were soldiers all from Fulani extraction around the area at Nnoma junction, and these boys were going behind them, meanwhile, they kept their cow somewhere numbering about 200.”
Several calls were made and at the end, he said the Church was able to raise the N100m ransom. “The following day, when I called the church, they said the effort was ongoing to raise the money and they have already raised N30 million. As of 3 pm, the church raised N130 million.
“The kidnappers instructed the church to package the money in five Ghana-must-go bags and make it N20 million in five places.
“During my conversation with their leader, he made it clear to me that he was from Sudan and his parent had died. But they gave birth to him in Igbo land around Umuahia where his late father was a cow dealer.
“They threatened that our people that are bringing the money must not involve security men, that if they do, they will kill us and pointed to a certain area where they dump decomposed bodies of those they have killed.
“Around 5:30, the youngest boy among them said, Oga congratulation, you are free, you can go now, we have got our money, let me show you the road. They took us to an old road where they wrote ‘Welcome to Imo’ and ‘Goodbye to Abia’.
According to Kanu-Uche, the kidnappers told him that the ransom they are collecting was to raise money for weapons. “That after buying enough weapons, they are going to bring all those that have been put in disarray at Zamfara, Katsina and Zambiza forest to Igbo land to deal with the people residing there because it belongs to them.
“They also revealed that some of their people are also along Lagos– Ibadan expressway and that they are only waiting for a signal. They said ‘We will finish you people and take over this land because it belongs to Fulani’.”
