Metro

‘They Broke My Jaw; I Drank Garri For 10 Days’ – Edo Rev. Fr. Nightmare In Kidnappers’ Den

Published

1 year ago

March 22, 2025

Photo: file copy

Reverend Father Thomas Oyode, the Reactor, Immaculate Conception Seminary, Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, has narrated his ordeal in the hands of kidnappers.

INFO DAILY reports that Rev. Fr. Oyode was abducted in the evening of October 27, 2024 at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Agenebode.

Narrating his ordeal in an interview, Rev. Fr. Oyode, said it was around 7pm on the faithful day when three young men who looked like Fulani herders stormed the seminary, shot sporadically into the air and the process kidnapped him and two seminarians but he pleaded for their captors to free the seminarians, which they obliged to.

He narrated: “They announced their presence with gunshots, but I didn’t realise we were in danger at the time. It was around 7.00pm. We usually have the vigilante come to resume night duties at 8.00pm, and he would usually shoot a shot up, perhaps to announce his presence.

“When I heard the first gunshot where I was seated, I thought he was the one. Then there was a second one and I thought to myself, “why is he wasting the bullets?”.

“It was at that very moment I heard feet stamping towards me. I raised my head and saw three young men looking like Fulani, brandishing a cutlass, a stick and a gun respectively. I was terrified and started screaming “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Mother Mary, Help Me! Ikenemoh, where are you?”. This made them hit me harder, as they would later tell me when they took me to the bush.

“As they hit me with every instrument they held, I fell to the ground, and it appears I passed out because I later found myself almost lifeless on another spot far from where they began hitting me and I didn’t know how I got to that spot. I felt one of them trying to lift me up, saying “oya come make we dey go”.

“I tried to open my eyes then I discovered that my left eye was already covered, I couldn’t see with it. It was swollen. The right eye was covered with blood. I could barely see but I managed to see two of my Seminarians being held hostage; one looked like he was explaining something or pleading to be freed. He was gripped by the collar of his uniform.

“It was then that I realised that we were not just being attacked by some angry herdsmen, we were going to be kidnapped.

“So, I managed to stand on my knees, lifted my hands and pleaded with them, “Okay, make una leave these ones, I go follow una. I’m a priest, abeg I go follow una” and they said “Oya get up make we dey go.” They tied my hands and took me away.

“At this point I noticed that the number of the attackers increased. There were now about ten of them. Later I discovered that they were actually nine in all. That was how they took me away.”

According to the priest, he spent 10 days in the kidnappers’ den, but he couldn’t eat anything apart from water and in some occasions garri in the water.

He added: “It was actually ten days, though I got home (my diocese) on the eleventh day, having passed the night in a village in Ajaokuta local government, Kogi State.

*I ate nothing that Sunday before the evening of the kidnap. I said three Masses in the morning at 5.30 am, 6.30am and 8.30am. From the Parish I proceeded to the seminary around 12.00 noon where I presided over a meeting between 1.00pm and 4.00pm when I went into my room for a nap.

“I was hungry and thirsty when they came. So, when we walked a short distance, my throat became very parched. I asked for water but they told me that I couldn’t drink anything then “because of your condition”. I guess they were referring to the bleeding. Later in the night, they gave me water from a muddy river, but I rejected it. I thought they had potable water (pure water sachet) for me.

“The next morning, they offered me cornflakes which they called garri but I couldn’t eat it. It was then I noticed that tears dropped from my eyes. They had broken my left jaw, and I could not open my mouth to chew even as my left eye had become swollen and closed up arising from the broken jaw.

“I realised that I was going to suffer a lot for as long as I was going to be alive in the forest. So I didn’t eat. I only drank water and sometimes, I asked them to add garri to the water for me to drink. That was what I fed on for ten days.”

The Rev. Fr. Who said he prayed with “my fingers even the Divine Mercy prayer at 3.00pm every day,” further narrated his ordeal: “On one of the nights when they had my hands tied to the back and tortured me, the one they called Gambo kept shouting at me to keep quiet as I was crying and begging. He told me “keep quiet now or I’ll shoot you”.

“As I pleaded the more with my hands already numb, he asked me, “If I release you now and tell you make you dey go, make you become Muslim, you go do?” For split seconds I considered the option and I immediately realised they would never release me after all. So, I asked, “me?”. He answered, “yes” and then I said “I be Reverend Father o”. He said “I know na” and then I said “no, I no go do”. He kept silent and never said anything again.”

On how he was miraculously released, the priest said: “I kept hoping I would be released. I kept praying even when there were instances when I felt they were planning to kill me, I could only pray for mercy and beg God to grant me the grace to join the Blessed Virgin Mary and my favourite saints in heaven.

“My release was a mix of surprise and hope because there were times when it felt like it was never going to happen, like no matter what, they would kill me and abandon me in the bush anyway. I walked with them barefooted to Kogi State, near Ajaokuta Local Government Area.

“That was where they released me, where my people came to pick me on a motorcycle.”

Metro

Police Arrest Mother, Daughter Over Alleged N18m Romance Scam

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, NPF-NCCC, have arrested a woman and her daughter over their alleged involvement in a romance scam that reportedly defrauded a Malta-based victim of more than N18 million.

The police disclosed that the arrests followed investigations into allegations bordering on computer-related fraud, identity theft, and money laundering after receiving intelligence from the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU.

In a statement issued by the Acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Uwana Imah, the suspects were identified as 39-year-old Urowhe Diana and her 22-year-old daughter, Rokibat Oluwasheyi Imoru.

According to the statement, preliminary investigations revealed that a Lagos resident identified as Emmanuel Amanfo, who is currently at large, allegedly collaborated with Rokibat Oluwasheyi Imoru to open and operate multiple bank accounts used in carrying out fraudulent transactions.

“One of the victims was identified as a resident of Malta whose identity has been withheld,” the statement said.

The police further disclosed that proceeds from the alleged romance scam were transferred through money transfer operators and direct deposits into several Nigerian bank accounts belonging to Rokibat Oluwasheyi Imoru.

Investigators also alleged that the funds were later moved into an Ecobank account owned by Urowhe Diana, where the money was allegedly spent.

According to the statement, forensic analysis of the suspects’ digital activities allegedly linked both mother and daughter to the cybercrime operation, leading to their eventual arrest.

The police added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend Emmanuel Amanfo, who was described as the husband of Urowhe Diana and stepfather of Rokibat Oluwasheyi Imoru.

“Investigation into the matter is still ongoing, and the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations,” the statement added.

The Nigeria Police Force reiterated the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to safeguarding Nigeria’s cyberspace and tackling cybercrime across the country.

The NPF-NCCC also urged members of the public to report suspicious cyber-related activities through its official online reporting portal and designated communication channels.

Metro

Edo Police Arrest Two Suspected Cultists

Published

20 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Police Command on Wednesday said two suspected cultists were arrested in Ohonre community, off Adolor College Road, Benin.

This was disclosed in a statement by the command Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, and made available to newsmen electrically.

Ikoedem said the arrest was possible due to operatives response to a distress report concerning the movement and gathering of some suspected cult members within the community.

The statement reads: “The Edo State Police Command has recorded another operational breakthrough following the swift disruption of a suspected cultists’ gathering in Ohonre Community, off Adolor College Road, Benin City.

“On 21st May, 2026, at about 19:00hrs, operatives attached to Ugbowo Division who were on surveillance patrol responded to a distress report concerning the movement and gathering of some suspected cult members within the community.

“Acting promptly on the information, the police team mobilized to the location. On sighting the operatives, the suspects fled in an attempt to evade arrest. The operatives immediately gave them a hot chase, leading to the arrest of two suspects identified as Victor Peter ‘M’, 21 years and Iyemoma Ogbewe ‘M’, 35 years.

“A search conducted on the suspects led to the recovery of one cut-to-size gun believed to have been in their possession for unlawful purposes.

“Upon investigation, the suspects confessed to being members of the notorious Maphite cult group. Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other fleeing gang members.”

She said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended the swift response of the operatives and reiterated the Command’s resolve to deny criminal elements any opportunity within Edo State.

He further urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to the Police, assuring that all reports would receive prompt attention.

Metro

Troops Eliminate Two Terrorists, Foil Pipeline Attack

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

The Nigerian Army says troops have, in the last 24 hours, eliminated two terrorists, rescued four kidnapped victims and foiled pipeline attacks in a series of coordinated military operations across Taraba, Kogi and Rivers.

This is contained in operational updates issued to reporters on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the reports, troops of 93 Battalion deployed at Akate in the Donga Local Government Area of Taraba engaged suspected terrorists in a forested area, killing two of them.

According to the report, items recovered from the scene include an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, magazines, mobile phones and other personal effects.

In Kogi, it said the troops of 21 Battalion, in collaboration with vigilantes, rescued four kidnapped passengers along the Anyigba–Itobe road in Ofu Local Government Area.

It added that the victims were reportedly abandoned by their captors while attempting to cross a seasonal stream due to sustained pressure from advancing troops.

According to the military, efforts are ongoing to rescue other victims still in captivity.

The report said that troops of 12 Brigade successfully repelled an ambush along Kabba–Okene road while withdrawing from an earlier operation, forcing the assailants to flee with gunshot wounds.

“Meanwhile, in Rivers, troops of 5 Battalion acting on credible intelligence, foiled an attempt by suspected vandals to detonate a crude oil pipeline in Ahoada West Local Government Area.

“The swift response of the troops disrupted the operation before it could be executed, with the suspects fleeing the scene,” it said.