Community youths in Umuawa Alaocha, Umuahia North LGA of Abia State, have stormed the forest in the community to rescue two kidnapped indigenes of Ohuhu, Mr. Dennis Izuchukwu and Mrs. Onyinyechi Ekechukwu, who were earlier abducted by suspected herdsmen on Wednesday.
Dennis, a tricycle operator, and Mrs. Onyinyechi Ekechukwu, a farmer, were abducted at about 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, prompting youths from Umuawa Alaocha and neighbouring villages to launch a search for them.
The search efforts eventually yielded results at midnight when the victims were rescued from captivity after suffering varying degrees of injuries.
Speaking from his hospital bed after his rescue, Mr. Dennis Izuchukwu said the incident occurred when Mrs. Onyinyechi Ekechukwu engaged his services to help transport cassava she had harvested from her farm in Umuawa Alaocha.
According to Izuchukwu, while they were returning from the farm, they encountered about six suspected herdsmen. He added that one of the men suddenly emerged from the bush carrying a gun.
“I initially thought it was a joke, but before I knew it, others came out from different directions and surrounded us,” Izuchukwu said.
He recalled that the kidnappers allegedly dragged them through a narrow path deep into the forest, where the armed men identified themselves as bandits before demanding a ransom of N10 million each for their release.
Izuchukwu further disclosed that Mrs. Ekechukwu pleaded with the kidnappers, explaining that she could only afford N50,000, a plea that reportedly angered the abductors, who began beating her.
During the ordeal, Izuchukwu said one of the kidnappers suggested shooting them, but another member of the group asked him to hold on.
Speaking about the rescue, the member representing Umuahia North Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Anderson Akaliro, condemned the invasion of his constituency by bandits.
Akaliro, who lamented that the male victim suffered serious machete cuts during the attack, commended the patriotic and courageous efforts of the community vigilante group and other youths in rescuing the victims.