A kidnapped victim who was adopted at Agbarha junction while heading to Abraka has been released after the payment of a ransom via transfer to a Point of Sale (PoS) operator in Rivers State.
The victim, simply identified as ‘Robor’, aged 18, surname withheld, was lured by a female suspect through TikTok, it was learned.
Narrating his ordeal to newsmen, Robor said, “As a make-up artist, he was contacted through his TikTok handle by an unknown female client from Abraka. The lady told me she liked my work and asked me to come to Abraka to do makeup for her and others by Saturday.
“After our discussion and agreement, she sent me N6,000 for transportation to Abraka, and I embarked on the journey the next day, even on a Friday, against the Saturday event.
“Before getting to Agbarho, she called me and asked me to wait for his brothers who are coming to Ughelli. After about 30 minutes, two mature men approached me and asked for my name, which I provided.
“They said they came to carry me to Abraka, and the only thing I could remember was that they tapped me and I entered their vehicle, which I couldn’t recollect. I regained consciousness when my mother called me to inquire if I had gotten to my destination, and they brought out a knife to threaten me that if I loved my life, I should answer my mother in confidence, which I did.
“On getting to their destination, I was blindfolded and taken to an unknown building where I met other persons who were tied, and I was beaten. They took my phone from me and asked me to unlock it, which I did, and they asked me if I was in Yahoo, and I said no, and after searching my phone, they separated me from others and stripped me naked.
“They called my mother and my other relatives and sent her a machete after their discussion, though I didn’t know what they discussed on Saturday night. On Sunday, they took me into their vehicle and warned me not to shout if I came outside the compound, which I obeyed. They dropped me at Rumuokoro Junction and gave me N12,000 to return to Ughelli.
“They took my phone and told me that they will send it back through waybill from Port Harcourt to me anytime they are ready to do so.”
The joyous mother, Juliet said, on that fateful Friday at about 4 pm, I received a call on my son’s phone, and the caller told me that my son was in their custody and that, if I wanted to see him alive, I should send them N7,000,000.
“I told them that I don’t have any money on me. After a while, they called again and asked me to send N4,000,000. I told them I don’t have that amount, and they reduced it to N500,000. After much negotiation, they reduced the ransom to N300,000 and provided a PoS account number for the funds. Sympathisers helped raise the amount, which was eventually sent.
“After sending the money, they asked me to send another N25,000 for transport, which I did, and while I was in my prayer closet, I got the call that my son has been released.”
