Metro

Sowore’s Death: Woman Narrates Her Ordeal, How She Escaped From Kidnappers’ Den

Published

4 years ago

September 6, 2021

Editor

Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

A middle-aged woman who identified herself as Emmanuella Anyanwu, has narrated her ordeal in the hands of her abductors and how she miraculously escaped from the kidnappers’ den along the Benin-Lagos Expressway.

Anyanwu was amongst those kidnapped on Saturday at the scene where Felix Sowore’s was shot dead.

Speaking to newsmen on Monday in Benin, Anyanwu said they were traveling from Lagos to the East on that particular day when their vehicle broke down which made them to pass the night in the bush inside their vehicle.

She narrated that they passed the night in the bush untill around 6:30am to 7:00am when some men came out from the bush and started shooting sporadically, and that after they surrendered to the shooting, they were all abducted and taken to the bush where they treked for over two hours before getting to the kidnappers’den.

According to her, the men among them were mercilessly beaten by the kidnappers while female like her was spared from such beating.

“At about 6.30am to 7:00am, some men came out from the bush and started shooting at us, and we all surrendered. They took our belongings including our phones and matched us into the bush. It took us almost two hours to get to their camp. They blind folded us.

“So, they started calling us one after the other, and I was the last person they called. They asked me where I was coming from and where I was going. I told them that I was coming from Lagos and going to Imo State.

“They asked if I know them, I said no. They asked if I know the police and army, I told them I know those ones. They told me they were kidnappers, and said they abducted me because of ransom. They said if I don’t have money they will take my life.

“I asked them how much they wanted. But one of them was furious I was asking them questions. I told them I needed to know the ransom. They asked if I had N10m and I told them there was no way to get that kind of money. I told them I will give them N500,000 from money gathered from my village. One of them said I was a fool and they told me to sit down,” she narrated.

Giving vivid picture of how she escaped from her abductors, Anyanwu said a particular victim they brought, from whom they collected something that distracted them made her to narrowly escaped during their distraction.

She narrated, “Then it started raining heavily, and they went away and brought one man again. So, they took something from that man and their attention was on it.

“So, I removed my blind fold and decided to escape, but I decided to shift the plan till midnight, but my spirit told me to escape because I would not have the opportunity to do so in the night, because the abductors don’t sleep in the night. I crept and that was how I escaped.”

On how she find her route to Benin City, the escaped victim said, “I saw a mast far away and I started treking toward it. After one hour or more I got to a road and saw an elderly man on motorcycle and I asked him to take me to the police station, which he did. We were two ladies and three men.”

Metro

NAF To Close Lagos Airport Road For Fitness Walk

Published

16 hours ago

October 17, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Air Force said there would be a temporary road closure in Lagos around the Murtala Mohammed Airport axis on Saturday for a 10km walk exercise by its personnel.

This is contained in a statement on Friday by the spokesperson of the NAF Headquarters Logistics Command, Lagos, Sqd. Abigail Ologun.

Ologun said that the upcoming fitness exercise is aimed at enhancing the health, well-being, and operational readiness of its personnel.

“The exercise is scheduled to commence at 6.00 a.m. and conclude by 8.00 a.m.

“During this period, certain sections of the Airport Road and adjoining routes will be temporarily closed to public vehicular movement,” she said.

Ologun said that the affected route to be closed temporarily was the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 to Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

She advised members of the public to make use of alternative routes and comply with traffic directives from the NAF and security personnel who would be on the ground to ensure safety and minimise inconvenience.

“Normal traffic flow will be restored immediately after the exercise.

“The Command assures the public that all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure a smooth, safe, and hitch-free exercise.

“The Nigerian Air Force sincerely regrets any inconvenience this may cause and appreciates the understanding and cooperation of the general public,” Ologun said.
(NAN)

Metro

NAF Announces Two-hour Road Closure In Abuja For 10km Walk

Published

16 hours ago

October 17, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Air Force will on Saturday, conduct its annual 10-kilometre Walk/Jog Exercise in Abuja as part of efforts to enhance the health, fitness and operational readiness of its personnel.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Ejodame said that the exercise underscored the importance of physical fitness to military efficiency and overall mission readiness.

He said the exercise, which would commence by 6:00 am and end by 8:00 am, will take place along the service lane between Karu Bridge and Mogadishu Cantonment Bridge in the Abuja-Nyanya-Keffi expressway.

This, according to him, will lead to temporary closure of the road to vehicular movement during the period.

Ejodame said adequate arrangements had been made to ensure the safety of participants and residents, adding that normal traffic flow would resume immediately after the exercise.

He appreciated the cooperation and understanding of the public as the NAF continues to promote the well-being and effectiveness of its personnel in the discharge of constitutional duties.

(NAN)

Metro

Court Jails Football Coach For Sodomising Minor Player

Published

2 days ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

A Kano State High Court has sentenced a football coach, Hayatu Muhammad, to eight years in prison for sodomising one of his underage players.

The presiding judge, Justice Musa Dahuru Muhammad, delivered the judgment on Wednesday, sentencing Hayatu without the option of a fine.

According to the prosecution, the coach, who lives in Sanka area of Kano metropolis, committed the offence twice in different locations. He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges.

To prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, the state counsel, Barrister Ibrahim Arif Garba, presented five witnesses who testified against the defendant.

In his defense, Hayatu took the witness stand alone.

The prosecution stated that his action violated Section 284 of the Penal Code Law, which criminalises sodomy.

After reviewing all the evidence and witness statements, Justice Dahuru ruled that the prosecution had successfully proved the case.

He sentenced Hayatu to four years in prison on each of the two counts, to run concurrently — meaning he will serve a total of eight years starting from the day of the judgment.