By Chinonso Alozie
Owerri – A popular High life musician in Imo State, Mr. Ugo Stevenson known as Ndaa Chineke, who was kidnapped last week, was freed by his abductors at about 11pm on Sunday, July 8.
Ndaa Chineke, who was released alongside his friend, Twinstar Izunna Obiakor, told the media in Owerri, that they were taken into a thick forest and dumped there for seven days. He also said that the kidnappers forced them to surrender their ATM cards, and they used them to withdraw monies from their accounts to the tune of N1 million.
Speaking yesterday, Stevenson said: “The outcry of our people led to our salvation. We were freed by 11pm Sunday. It is horrifying. It is not a comic story. The kidnappers want to make money.
“We were kidnapped in Umugama market spot in Owerri West Local Government Area. The jeep I was riding in, wanted to make a turn and the boys pounced on it and started shooting. It happened at about 8:30pm on that Wednesday.”
When asked if they recognised the faces of the kidnappers, he said: “All through the seven days we were in the forest, they blindfolded us. But we discovered that the village where they dropped us was Okuku, after a long distance. So, I don’t know where they took us from.”
Asked if they were fed while in captivity, they replied; “they gave us bread and water. I refused to eat whatever they brought. I decided to fast to save my life. I was only taking sachet water to put my system in order,” Ndaa Chineke said.
“You can’t even see those who kidnapped you. You just feel people hovering around. I think the kidnappers were six in number. We also witnessed the arrival of more victims inside that forest.”
“We were sleeping in that forest all day and night. They took us to a nearby building. An uncompleted storey building. Early in the morning, they would push us back into the forest. We stayed there under the sun. It is not a good experience,” he said, adding: “I was kidnapped with my friend. He is the owner of the Highlander 2007 model. He is into lighting system. We just finished a meeting of an upcoming event and we were kidnapped on our way home.
“We paid N1 million. They took everything. They collected our ATM cards and withdrew all the money from our accounts.
“And of course to save our lives, we had to give them accurate details of the ATM cards.”
At the time of filing this report, several calls made to the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, to get police reaction on the release of Stevenson, did not yield results as he did not pick his calls.
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