By Ralph Oluwatoyin.
In just few days to both gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections in Lagos State, a famous Igbo businessman, Timothy Uche who deals in all types of electronics, was kidnapped in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State.
Mr Uche was abducted last week Friday around 9:30 p.m at Iyano-Ejigbo area after the day’s business activities.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the gang of four kidnappers shot sporadically at the front and back of his car before dragging him out and whisked him away to an unknown destination.
The gunshots according to our source, who craved anonymity, led everyone, including tricycle riders to run for safety.
It was gathered that as soon as he was whisked away by the unknown gunmen, his telephone lines were immediately switched off. He couldn’t be reached through his lines or have the kidnappers called any member of his immediate family for over 48 hours.
According to the family members, “immediately after the incident was reported to the Ejigbo police station, the DPO swung into action by deploying a tracking system which indicated that Mr Uche has been taken away en route LIASU and LASU roads”.
They explained that throughout the two days of grave silence, it was not clear what the motives of the kidnappers were until Sunday morning when the kidnappers called the wife with the husband’s phone, demanding ransom.
With that, the family was a bit relieved when it was cleared that Uche was not abducted for political reasons. Recall that last week was the peak of the ethnic and tribal verbal clash between the Igbos and Yorubas in Lagos over the true ownership of Lagos. It was also in the same week that the Igbo spare parts market was burnt down in the Olodi-Apapa area of Lagos State.
However, Uche’s family was again thrown into trauma when the abductors called demanding N70 million naira ransom before Uche will be released. “Eventually, after series of pleadings, the kidnappers agreed to N5 million. Said the family source”.
While the family and friends of Uche were trying to gather the money, the kidnappers again requested that the N5 million must be converted to United States Dollars and the family members were all running Helter-skelter to raise the money and convert it to dollars.
When our correspondent visited Mrs Uche, the wife of the victim, her utterances revealed that she was optimistic about her husband’s return. But was not willing to disclose the steps the family has taken to regain the freedom of her husband.
However, it was gathered that Uche was released on Tuesday morning, this week.When visited at his office in Ejigbo area of Lagos, Uche narrated how everything happened.
In his word, “I was kidnapped on Friday, March 10, 2023, around 9:30 p.m., when I closed from my shop situated at Ifoshi Road, close to Iyano Ejigbo, Lagos.
”On that fateful day, three armed men and a pregnant woman shot sporadically at my car when I entered it to make a U-turn to pick up my children, who were still in the store waiting for me, the next thing I saw was people and tricycle riders running for safety. I was left alone at that point.
”They shot at the front, back, and sides of my car to ensure that I cannot escape. They even fired a bullet at my seat, which burnt the upholstery of the seat but didn’t touch me. At that point, the abductors whisked me away to an unknown destination.
”They drove through Egbe, Idimu, and Liasu roads to an apartment in Ayobo area of Lagos State, where I was kept for three days. While I was struggling with them in their vehicle, they used knives on me and the gun which could not penetrate. ‘There were bruises on me but the knives could not penetrate. I had bruises, but my clothes did not tear. If not God, who could have done it for me?
“For the three days I spent in their custody, I was fed and medically treated. This is the third time the kidnappers have come for me. The last one was two months ago. When I was in the kidnappers’ den, one of them said they had been monitoring me since on Monday of the same week.
“On Sunday, one of the kidnappers used my phone to call my wife, demanding N70 million ransom. When they discovered that she could not raise the money, they agreed to N15 million, and when they observed that the money was not available, they requested N5 million, stressing that they would come for the balance later.
When asked if those that kidnapped him were Igbos or Yorubas. He said they spoke English each time they were together. “I also heard two or three of them communicating in Igbo language most times. I later found out that one of them who dressed like a pregnant woman is actually a male.
“But before I was released, one of the kidnappers tapped me where I was praying and said: ‘It’s okay, your prayers have been answered. Let us do what we want to do and leave here. But you must promise to give us the balance.
“I replied that but you said I should bring certain amount. He said, no. Just give us what you have. After some times, they started quarrelling with themselves. At that point, I realized that prayers were being offered by the church on my behalf. God took over. In my presence, they shared the ransom among themselves and even quarrelled over the sharing formula. They told me that they would still come back for me.
“When the ransom was paid, I was blindfolded by the kidnappers who dropped me somewhere at Ayobo on Tuesday, where my family members came to pick me up. My phone is presently with the kidnappers.
