A woman who recently regained her freedom after being kidnapped has shared a shocking account of the conditions she and other captives allegedly endured while being held by armed abductors.
The survivor made the revelations during an interview on the Lucky Udu Experience programme aired on Sunday, June 21, 2026. Speaking anonymously for security reasons, she recounted the traumatic events that unfolded after gunmen invaded her community and abducted several residents.
Her testimony comes amid growing national concern over insecurity and the increasing number of kidnapping incidents reported across different parts of Nigeria. In response to the security challenges facing the country, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has repeatedly called on the Nigerian security agencies, including the police, military, and other law enforcement bodies, to adopt more effective strategies in combating criminal activities and protecting citizens.
During the interview, the victim described how heavily armed kidnappers stormed her neighborhood without warning, creating panic among residents. According to her, the attackers moved through the area, taking multiple people hostage before transporting them to an undisclosed location believed to be deep within a forest.
She explained that life in captivity was characterized by fear, uncertainty, and constant psychological pressure. The captives, she said, lived under strict control and were forced to obey the instructions of their abductors at all times.
One of the most disturbing aspects of her account involved what she described as a routine carried out by the kidnappers among male hostages. According to the survivor, the abductors allegedly compelled male victims to engage in physical fights against one another, creating a brutal contest in which freedom was presented as the reward for victory.
The woman stated that the practice often took place in the mornings, with the kidnappers gathering the men and instructing them to fight. The situation, she explained, placed victims in an impossible position, forcing them to choose between participating in violence or risking continued captivity.
Recounting the experience, she said:
“They will come in the morning and tell the men to start fighting each other, and anyone that wins will leave the place, and the men will start fighting.”
The survivor did not indicate how frequently such incidents occurred or whether the promised releases were always carried out. However, her account paints a troubling picture of the methods allegedly employed by the criminal group to maintain control over captives and exert psychological influence over them.
