A Nigerian woman has recounted how her family was abducted while returning from her grandfather’s burial in Kogi State in 2023, revealing that her mother died after eight days in captivity.
According to her, armed Fulani kidnappers attacked their vehicle and forced the family into a forest. The abductors allegedly demanded a ₦20 million ransom while providing little food or water, leaving the family to survive mainly on cashew nuts.
“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, my mum collapsed while we were trekking. I kept praying, but she passed away,” she said.
She alleged that despite her mother’s death, the kidnappers forced the family to continue trekking and repeatedly beat her father over the unpaid ransom. The 2023 cash scarcity further complicated efforts to secure their release, as the abductors reportedly rejected bank transfers.
Before their release, the family was allowed to mark the location of her mother’s body with leaves so they could return for burial. Her account has renewed public concern over kidnapping and insecurity in Nigeria, following the recent abduction of teachers and pupils in Oyo State.
