Oyo kidnap victim recounts 14-day ordeal, says family paid N15m ransom

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By Adeola Badru

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A woman who spent 14 days in captivity after being abducted in Ibadan, Oyo State, has recounted her ordeal, revealing that her family paid N15 million ransom to secure her freedom.

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The victim, who requested anonymity, spoke with Vanguard about the emotional and psychological trauma she endured following the abduction, which occurred in June 2025.

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According to her, she was kidnapped while returning home after delivering goods to a customer in the Abegunde Babalola area near Orita.

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She said the incident occurred between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. “I was going home with my children. I had delivered some goods to a customer and collected payment. As I was about to enter my car, two men suddenly crossed the road and dragged me into their vehicle at gunpoint,” she recalled.

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The woman said although her children were nearby, the kidnappers targeted only her. “They did not kidnap my children. I was the only one they took,” she said.

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She disclosed that she was held alone throughout her captivity and could not identify any of her abductors because they consistently concealed their faces.

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“I cannot recognise any of them because they covered their faces,” she stated.

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Describing the experience as traumatic, the victim said she lived in constant fear during her detention.

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She recalled that her birthday fell while she was in captivity, making the experience even more painful.

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“It was two days to my birthday. On my birthday, I was crying because I thought I should have been celebrating outside, not in captivity,” she said.

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According to her, one of the kidnappers noticed her distress and asked why she was crying.

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“When I told him it was my birthday, they started singing for me. Later, they brought me chicken and apples and told me to eat,” she recounted.

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The victim also said her captors allowed her to observe her religious obligations after she informed them that she was a Muslim and wished to pray.

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“The first day we got there, they asked me what I wanted. I told them I wanted to pray. They went out and got prayer beads and a kettle for me,” she said.

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However, she stressed that those gestures did not diminish the trauma of the experience.

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“I cannot fully describe what I went through. It was a terrible experience,” she said.

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The woman confirmed that her family eventually paid N15 million ransom before she was released after 14 days in captivity.

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“Yes, N15 million was paid before I was released,” she disclosed.

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She expressed gratitude for her freedom while urging authorities to intensify efforts to tackle kidnapping and insecurity across the country.

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