Call it divine intervention and you are right.
That is the story of 34-year-old Lagos-based
businessman, Mr. Stephen Orjiakor who
hails from Okohia, Ihiala in Anambra State.
Orjiakor had arranged with his in-laws in
Amanachi in Imo State to have his
traditional marriage on April 16 and had
invited friends, business associates and
kinsmen for the function. He was also in
high spirit as he had made available all
things needed for the ceremony.
It was less than 24 hours to the event as he
was returning to Ihiala from his in-laws in
Amanachi, where he had gone to ensure
that every arrangement was properly made,
gunmen intercepted and abducted him.
His abductors left his elder brother who was
with him in his Sport Utility Vehicle
(Highlander Jeep) and took him away in
their own SUV (Infinity Jeep) while taking
along his own car.
His bride-to-be and both families cried and
prayed that he be released that night to be
able to perform his marriage rites and
attend to visitors, some who had started
arriving town, but this was not to be as he
was in the hoodlums’ den for eight days.
For Orjiakor, it would have been double
tragedy, his wedding aborted and his live
was on the verge of being exterminated.
Therefore, he pleaded with the kidnappers
to take all he had, spare his live and allow
him go for his traditional marriage, but the
appeal to attend his wedding fell on deaf
ears.
He told Daily Sun that his abductors were
dead serious as they asked him for money
up to N50 million, telling him that his people
had told them about him.
Orjiakor who narrated his ordeal in the
hands of the kidnappers at the police
headquarters Awka about two hours after
he was rescued said: “I was kidnapped. It
was on a Sunday being 15th of April. I
wanted to do my marriage ceremony on
16th of April. So, I went to my in-law’s place
to ask them how they are preparing about
the marriage. My in-law’s place is at
Amanachi in Imo State and I’m from Ihiala.
“So, on my way going back to my village,
Ihiala, I was in my vehicle, Toyota
Highlander, ash colour with my elder
brother. On my way going, there is a place
between Imo and Anambra; there is a
pothole; so, immediately I slowed down at
that pothole, I saw one Infinity Jeep across
me. Five boys came out of that jeep, all of
them were armed with guns and they said I
should not go anywhere, that if I move,
they will shoot me.
“Immediately, I removed my foot from the
throttle, I went down and my brother also
went down. They collected all my phones,
carried me and put me inside their own
vehicle and one of them drove my own.
When they carried me, I didn’t know where
I was. I kept begging them to please leave
me. As at that time, I never knew they left
my brother.
“I was begging inside that vehicle and they
were beating me, saying if I talk they will
shoot me. I was begging them that I wanted
to do my traditional marriage on the 16th;
that they should carry the vehicle and go
and I had N100, 000 that I will use for the
traditional marriage. I told them, please, I
have N100, 000 in the car and some money
in my pockets, please take all and leave me
because my friends and relations will come
for the traditional marriage.
“They said I’m going to die today, do you
have N50 million, how much do you have in
the bank? They then took me to one house
and immediately we got there, they used
cloth to tie my eyes. They tied my eyes and
used leg cuffs and put on my legs. I stayed
there from that Sunday to this morning. The
one that is beside me, I told that one that
please; today is my marriage, that they
should collect all these things and leave me.
That one said that nothing concerns him,
that it’s their boss that can say that; that I
should not worry; that if their Oga comes,
they will leave me and I will go, but I stayed
that day and that day ended, they didn’t do
anything.
“After two to three days, one man came
there and said what of your brother? I said
my brother is the one that you caught two
of us. He told me that they left him. He said
who will bring money? He asked what of
my father and I said my father is late. He
said what of my mother; I said my mother
is alive. He said, who will bring N50 million
for us? I said I don’t have any relation that
can afford that kind of money. He said
what, what do you mean? It means you are
going to die. It means that this is the end of
your life. I said please and he said do I think
that they are playing or what? I continued
pleading that I don’t have anybody that can
bring that kind of money. He said what of
my brother; that they left my brother so
that he can bring the money.
“This thing was happening around 1:00
a.m, they gave me phone and took one big
machete and put on top of stove, they will
use that thing and touch my back so that I
will shout and tell my brother to bring N50
million so that they will release me. My
brother told them that we don’t have N50
million; that they should release me. They
said who again do you want to call? I then
called my Oga; he is from Imo State where
my mother comes from. He’s the man that
trained me. I said Oga, please, they said you
should bring N50 million so that they can
release me. My Oga said that he doesn’t
have that kind of money. Let say what we
can afford, that they should not kill or
torture me. My Oga started begging them.
“From that Thursday on, I don’t know the
days again because they covered my eyes.
If I tell them that I want to ease myself, they
will bring bucket. If I tell them that I want to
defecate, they will bring bucket. They gave
me food once in two or three days. I was
there and another day, one of them came
again and said, have you prepared the
money and I said, how will I prepare the
money when you people kept me here? He
said, won’t you call your brothers to bring
that money? I said, okay, give me phone
and let me call them. They gave me phone
and I called that my Oga and my Oga will
beg them and tell them that he doesn’t have
that kind of money.
“From that N50 million, they cut down to
N20 million. They said, okay, can you afford
N20 million? My Oga said he doesn’t have
that kind of money; that we are from poor
family, that nobody can raise that kind of
money. They said that means that they
want me to die and that I will die, that they
have another work at hand and that it is not
only me that they have at hand. The other
one that was staying with me told me that
they have too much work, that their Oga is
getting angry and that if I’m not serious,
they will be attending to other people that
are serious; that they will kill me today
(Tuesday) because they have other outside
work that they want to go.
“I said okay, give me phone let me tell my
people. The other one said, can that your
Oga provide N10 million for us? I said okay,
give me phone and let me tell him. He said
okay, that their Oga will come. Then, that
one they used to call second-in-command
came and said, you don’t want to bring that
money? I said which money will I bring?
You people kept me here, how will I see
money to bring? He said that my brother
should bring the money. He then said I
should tell him the truth; can my brother
afford that money?
“ I told them that my brother cannot afford
that N10 million. He said what do you
mean? You mean that you want to die? You
think that we just caught you? He said that
it’s people that give them information for
me to bring N50 million. It’s your people
that gave us the information. You will die,
you will die here.
“I continued pleading and he asked how
much can that your Oga bring? I said they
can bring N2 million. He said N2 million?
Don’t you know that we are more than 15
in number? If we share N15 million, how
much will each person get? He said that
means I will die and he then said that they
will go to outside work on Tuesday and I
don’t even know the day that is Tuesday or
Wednesday. I lost my memory. They said
that they are going to come on Tuesday
and that Tuesday, if your brothers didn’t
speak well, we are going to kill you that day.
It’s not only your work we have, how much
is your work self? There is one work we
wan go now, if we go there, we make N200
million, N100 million. I said please, make una
save my life.
“That yesterday, one guy that brought food
for me, he said that yesterday was Monday,
I said hey, and tomorrow is Tuesday. He
said we are expecting our Oga to come that
Tuesday night. I asked the guy and said,
what is my brother saying? He said he
doesn’t know, but that I should not worry,
when their Oga comes, he will let me know.
Then I prayed, saying. That time they tied
my eyes, I used to see small from the down
part anybody who comes near me and I
monitor their voices. So, anybody that
comes, I will know and anybody that came
near me, I knew all of them. In the morning
(Tuesday), I called Oga, Oga, one came, I said
please I want to ease myself. He said you
want to ease yourself; your people don’t
want to bring the money for us. It means
that you will die.
“You are going to die today. Your people
don’t want to bring the money for us. I said
please I want to ease myself. That should be
around after 6:00a.m today (Tuesday)
because I was seeing light. One said okay, I
can see that you use to remove all these
things we take cover your eyes. I will now
bring tape to tape your eyes and mouth. I
said abeg no do like that, where is that your
Oga, let me know what my people are
saying. He said they expected their Oga last
night, he didn’t come, and maybe he will
come this morning (Tuesday).”
Fortunately, unknown to Orjiakor God had
sent rescuers in the form of the Anambra
State Police Command who within few
minutes after and surrounded the whole
place rescued him and in the process killed
four members of the kidnap gang.
“Under five or ten minutes we said these
things, I started hearing voices and they are
saying police is around, police is around. So,
I started hearing scattered noise and I was
thinking that maybe they brought someone,
another person or they are planning how to
kill me. So, small time, I heard some voice
saying, remove that thing on your eyes, I
said eeeh? He said remove it! Then I opened
it and I saw that they are policemen. I was
still surprised. I thought whether they are
those guys that dressed like police. I wasn’t
sure. I was still begging, saying please,
please.
They said I should get up. They then looked
at my legs and said okay, come out
gradually.
“Immediately, I came out, I saw that
policemen were too much. That time, I now
breathe down and said thank God, I am
alive. Immediately, the police came out with
some group of boys, he asked me, do you
know any of them? I said I know all of
them. I said they tied my eyes, but I used to
see them, I know their voices.
“So, I asked one, you said you are going to
kill me today. He agreed. I asked the other
one, you are the one that said that you will
tape my eyes and my mouth this morning,
he agreed. The policemen then carried all of
us out with four of them.”
Orjiakor thanked God for saving his life
through the
police.

my source.tx

www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2012/may/16/national-16-05-2012-017.html