Abuja single mom recounts ordeal with kidnappers

By FRED ITUA, Abuja

A single mother has revealed the harrowing experience she and her two sons went through in the hands of their abductors on their way to Minna, Niger State, from Abuja recently.

Mrs Adesolape Oladitan, who is based in Abuja, described her experience in the kidnappers’ den as harrowing.

Oladitan kidnapped alongside her two sons were released after paying over N4 million ransom.

The woman, who is yet to recover from the traumatic experience, said she wouldn’t wish anyone, not even her enemies go through such an ordeal, and advised Nigerians to reduce the rate they travel with their families.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, the Ondo State-born middle-aged woman said the effect of such devastating experiences on children, makes it difficult in today`s Nigeria for them to grow with loyalty to the nation.

Narrating her ordeal, Adesolape recounted that the most traumatising aspect was that her two underage sons were victims of the incident.

According to her, “On the 6th of last December 2021, I set out to Minna, Niger State, with my two sons, 13 and 11 years old, to see a friend who had lost her husband; maybe, that was the mistake I made, with benefit of hindsight, I would have left them behind instead of seeing them go through the trauma they went through in the hands of kidnappers.

‘Midway to Minna, some haggard-looking, gun-wielding persons, jumped onto the road and attacked our bus. In the process, my two sons and I as well as 6 other good-looking passengers were forcefully abducted and taken into a deep, lonely forest between Niger and Kaduna states. We spent two weeks there, in the midst of people without mind and conscience.

‘They demanded N5 million, which a poor woman like me couldn’t afford and I pleaded with them to see reason. But they are not the type to see reasons. They raped me twice and eventually released me after five days, to go back home and look for N5million to free my two sons.

‘It took me two weeks to sell-off everything we had in, to raise N3.3m which I gave them to free my sons.

‘Even after dropping the money where they demanded we should keep it, I don’t think I will ever get over the hopelessness of the two days I waited to see my children in flesh and blood again.’

She added that despite the fact she was raped twice, the kidnappers also threatened to rape her two sons if she didn’t raise the money on time.

‘I have gone for some medical check-ups and have taken medical care of myself and the children, what I am battling with now, is the trauma, most especially, that of the children. I see in them, a certain sense of distrust in the ability of the country to protect them. I fear for the disloyalty it may create.

‘Although the therapists I engaged are working assiduously, even me as an adult I have not been able to wear off those horrible ordeals. Maybe, parents should reduce the rate at which they travel with their families.

‘I am a shattered woman. I do not wish even my enemy to go through half my experience.’ (Daily Sun)