A Nigerian woman has revealed the tragic details of how she and her relatives were seized by armed kidnappers while traveling home from a funeral in Kogi State, noting that her mother lost her life after eight days in captivity.
The Attack
She explained that the assailants, identified as Fulani gunmen, ambushed the family in 2023 as they were returning from her grandfather’s burial, opening fire on their vehicle and driving them into the bush.
Life in Captivity
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of twenty million naira and provided barely any food or water, forcing the victims to survive on cashew nuts and minimal hydration.
Mother’s Death
Recounting the ordeal, she said: “They demanded twenty million naira from us. We lived on cashew nuts because water was scarce. We remained there for eight days, and on the seventh day the unthinkable occurred. My mother collapsed while we were walking. I prayed continuously, but she died.”
Aftermath and Father’s Plead
Even after her mother’s death, the abductors allegedly compelled the surviving relatives to keep marching through the forest, repeatedly striking her father over the unpaid ransom.
She added that the 2023 cash shortage made matters worse, as family members struggled to gather physical money and the kidnappers refused electronic transfers.
Before releasing them, her father begged the captors to disclose the location of her mother’s body so they could retrieve it for burial. They marked the spot with leaves before being directed toward the highway.
Public Reaction
The heartfelt testimony has moved many Nigerians to pray for the family and to demand stronger measures against kidnapping and nationwide insecurity.
Her account emerges amid rising concerns over abductions, especially after the recent seizure of teachers and students in Oyo State.
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