“I watched my mother die…” – Lady recounts family’s heartbreaking 8-day ordeal in kidnappers’ den

A Nigerian lady has shared the heartbreaking story of how she and her family were kidnapped while returning from a burial in Kogi State, revealing that her mother died in captivity after spending eight days in the kidnappers’ den.

According to her, the family was attacked by four armed Fulani kidnappers in 2023 while travelling home from her grandfather’s burial.

Their vehicle was riddled with bullets before crashing into the bush, after which they were robbed and forced deep into the forest.

Recounting the traumatic experience, she said the abductors demanded ₦20 million and barely gave them food or water throughout their captivity.

“They demanded ₦20 million from us. We survived on cashew nuts because they hardly gave us water. We stayed there for eight days, and on the seventh day, the worst thing happened. My mum collapsed while we were trekking. I kept praying, but she passed away,” she said.

The lady revealed that despite her mother’s death, the kidnappers allegedly forced the remaining family members to continue trekking through the forest while repeatedly beating her father over the unpaid ransom.

She added that the 2023 cash scarcity worsened their ordeal, as relatives struggled to raise physical cash and the kidnappers refused to accept bank transfers.

“Before releasing us, my dad begged them to show us where they left my mum’s body so we could come back and bury her. We marked the spot with leaves before they pointed us towards the expressway,” she added.

The emotional account has left many Nigerians heartbroken, with many offering prayers for the family and renewing calls for stronger action against kidnapping and insecurity across the country.