Eleven persons who were abducted in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State have regained their freedom after reportedly escaping from their captors when the kidnappers fell asleep during an overnight movement through the forest.
The victims disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing in Benin City, the state capital.
One of them, Destiny Braimah, said he was returning from his farm when he was ambushed by six armed men carrying guns and cutlasses, who later whisked him and 10 others into the bush.
He added that they were forced to keep moving deeper into the forest, during which they heard gunshots suspected to have been fired by security operatives.
“I was coming from the farm when I met six of them armed with guns and cutlasses. They also captured others, making us 11 victims,” he said.
“They took us from one bush to another. At about 6 pm, we heard police shooting. They made us walk throughout the night.
“When we got to a place, they told us to hide. They were very tired, so they fell asleep.
“That was how we escaped. We ran to the police station and met the police. The kidnappers beat us and maltreated us.”
Another victim, Gloria Inyanugbo, said she was able to identify some of the suspects following their arrest. She revealed she spent four days in captivity before her husband paid ransom for her release.
“I was kidnapped on January 12 while working on the farm,” she said.
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“They asked how much I had in my account after taking me into the bush. I spent four days there until my husband raised N3 million and another N300,000 to buy hard drugs, food and other items.
“The community vigilante arrested two of them in the bush, while the police tracked and arrested others. I saw one of them who kept boasting that nobody could do anything to him. I never imagined the police would eventually arrest them.”
Meanwhile, the Edo State Police Command said it arrested 32 suspected kidnappers in June and rescued 38 victims through intelligence-led operations across the state.
Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, also revealed that during the same period, 15 suspected cultists, three armed robbery suspects, 11 murder suspects, and 14 suspects linked to rape and defilement were arrested.