‘I ate stale rice and begged for water’ -67-year-old Kidnap Victim tell story

‘I ate stale rice and begged for water’ -67-year-old Kidnap Victim tell story

Sixty-seven-year-old kidnap victim, Mrs Florence Popoola, has recounted her ordeal in the den of the kidnappers when five of the suspected kidnappers were paraded by the police in Ekiti State on Tuesday after their arrest.The suspects had abducted Mrs Popoola on September 14 when, according to the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Abdulahi Chafe, they “invaded the residence of Mr Popoola at Araromi Quarters, Ikere Ekiti and forcefully kidnapped his wife (Florence).”

Chafe, who was represented by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Ekiti command, at the parade of the suspects, said: “the hoodlums whisked the woman away in her Nissan Sunny car.”

According to the police commissioner, the five suspects namely: Sunday Adeoye, 30; Dare Adesi, 26; Seun Ogunlayi, 25; Damilola Bamigboye, 27 and Tope Ojo, 32, confessed to the crime.

He added that N323,000, which was part of the ransom collected by the suspects from the victim’s family, were recovered.

The CP added that the victim’s car was also recovered from the suspects and assured all citizens of Ekiti State should “go about their lawful businesses as the police and the other security agencies were in synergy to ensure adequate protection of lives and property in the state.”

Recounting her four-day ordeal with the kidnappers, Mrs Popoola said that she was forcefully taken from her home on her return from a church programme and taken to a forest where she was starved.

“I was made to walk long distances even with my ailing leg, as they moved with me from one location to another for the four days.

“They blew cigarette smoke into my face, choking me in the process, while I had to beg them for water.

“I was fed stale rice meal, which upset my stomach and upon my throwing-up, they threatened that I’d have to eat my vomit to survive if my children didn’t meet their N1.5 million ransom demand,” she recounted.

According to her, “when they got N1 million of their N1.5 million demand from my family, they told me it was time to go. They set me on a path and directed that I should keep walking, that my children would pick me on the road.

“After I’ve trekked for about a kilometre, I saw someone to whom I cried for help. With the phone they gave me, I was able to contact my children.”

She was found in Awo community, a distance of not less than 50 kilometres from where she was abducted.