Politics

How I Was Almost Kidnapped In Akwa Ibom In Broad Daylight By Estelle DeSouza

 Her Post

THERE’S A NEW ABDUCTION / K!DNAP FORMAT IN UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE.

Dear ladies, be very careful and vigilant.

Because the average Nigerian man is a misogynist.

Scratch that..

The truth is that we still live in a society that’s deeply sexist and misogynistic, on both an individual and a systemic level.

I still can’t comprehend how a woman would be in danger, screaming for possible help…

With proofs that she’s ignorant of what’s happening to her, and all the men could do is smirk or scoff at her.

I’m still crying and shaking from the event of this morning.

I left my house early this morning to run a “quick errand”.

Not far from my house… But around my vicinity.

As I was about stepping out, electricity was restored and decided to just plug my phone cuz, why not?

Especially in this era of PHED’s 132KV power outage daily sermons. 

I told myself I wouldn’t be needing my phone; after all, it was just a “quick errand”,

One I had planned to simply dashed out and back within an hour or not more than 1hr 30mins max.

So I left.

Concluded the first errand, and en route to the last one. 

Along the way, I realised I needed a sanitary towel urgently, and walking to grab one from a pharmacy along Aka Road.

A car was ahead of me, a camry with tinted glasses parked (as indicated by the tail light).

As I was approaching, the driver excused me.

Me: Hi, good morning

Guy: good morning, please I’m trying to locate Ikot udobong.

Me : Sorry, I don’t know.

Him: you’re not from here?

Me: No.

Guy: I like you… Can I have your number?

Me: from where to where? For person wife?

I hissed and walked away briskly. 

I hadn’t even walked 10 steps, when I felt a sudden grab on my arm.

😳😳😳😳

Guy wetin happen? What’s the issue?

This guy switched on me, raised his voice.

Saying, after all he invested in me, I think I’d just walk out from the relationship?

How he paid my fees, now I have graduated and don’t want to marry him again.

😳😳😳 HOW

Do you know me before?

How? When? Where did all these tales come from?

First off, I guaduated since 2007… That’s 18yrs ago. And I’ve been married since 2011.

This guy was dragging me back to force me into his car.

I was SHOUTING at the top of my voice, LEAVE ME ALONE … I DON’T KNOW YOU.

The next thing, an elderly lady came to the scene, and said… 

“Yes o, this is how they do, I know her type, a man will suffer to train them finish, them go wan break up, if you check now, she don get another man” 

Before you know, Keke men started gathering.

This guy was speaking ibibio, yelling, still grabbing my arm.

Telling them how we woke up together this morning, left the house together and we had a little misunderstanding along the way, and I stormed out of the car.

How he trained me in school, he has done introduction and now, I’m saying I no do again. 

😳😳😳😳 I shock. Guy, Wetin be this one like this?

I know you from Adam? I kept asking him. 

I was trying to explain myself in English, saying I don’t know this man ooo, as I only understood ibibio but can’t communicate fluently in it.

Keke men had parked and were saying this na husband and wife matter, make una go settle am for house.

This lunatic of a guy was now telling me, he will beat me and strip me naked.

I remembered Ibom Air and Commy and started crying.

Praying for God to send swift intervention and help. 

As soon as I said, God please help me, one guy  pulled over…

Seemed he was going to work from how he dressed.

Asked what’s going on. I narrated the story. He spoke igbo to me, and I said I don’t understand.

The igbo guy said it could be a case of mistaken identity…

This lunatic planning to kidnap me said nooo.

And still repeated we left his house together this morning and I started misbehaving on the road. 

That was when he asked the guy…

Igbo man : You said she’s your woman?

Guy: Yes. Na my wife – to – be.

Igbo man : wetin be her name? 

Guy : which kind question be this? So I no sabi my woman name?

Igbo man : wetin be her name?

Guy : Imaobong Peter

Igbo man to me : Is that your name?

No Sir.

I opened my purse and gave him my IDs: driver’s license, my business card, even expired ATM card I had to confirm my name.

The igbo man told him to let me go, that my name is not Imaobong Peter. 

Next, he switched on the guy, accusing him that oh… So you’re the new guy.

See me that was just walking to go buy sanitary pad 😭😭😭

This mad guy insisted that the igbo man was wasting his time…

That I must follow him home.

He had support from his people, the Keke men, speaking dialect, being so condescending, calling me all sort of names, with the woman still claiming how she knows young girls my type. 

At this point, I was holding on to the igbo man, cuz my safety was now dependent on him.

I was crying and screaming he should help me dial my husband’s number.

From no where… My messiah landed.

This guy that eventually rescued me is the younger brother to my customer, who sells yam in Akpan Andem market.

They took turns to sit in the stall, and when his brother isn’t around, he sells to me.

He was going to the market and saw a small  gathering, he came.

As soon as he saw me, he said…

Ah… Aunty na you? Nsido (wetin happen), you no drive today?

As I began telling him, he screamed…

Utoto ke do oooo ooo…( na scammer / 419 he be oooo)

I know this aunty, na my customer, I know her husband, pikin and car sef. 

In fact, make I call her husband make e come,

As soon as the kidnapper guy heard that, he let me go, and hurriedly entered his car and drove off.

The woman too… His ardent supporter, disappeared all off a sudden. 

That’s how this guy began narrating that this is the in thing now,

That just last week or so, this same thing happened to a girl he knows, on this same Aka Road.

I am grateful to him, the igbo man…and to God for the swift intervention.

I don’t know what would have happened to me.

Considering how Nigerians blame victims for everything…

They would have cooked and twisted the story for engagements and monetization.

Estelle DeSouza

11: 09: 2025