Two of the 16 victims rescued from kidnappers in Kogi State have recounted the terrifying experience they endured during nearly 48 hours in captivity, including threats to sell them to ritualists if their ransom demands were not met.

The victims, identified as Ngozi Stephen and Joshua Daniel, spoke on Tuesday during an interview at the Kogi State Police Command headquarters following their rescue.

The Nigerian military had earlier disclosed that the victims were abducted on Sunday when armed criminals attacked commuters along the Ojuwo–Ajengo–Memarebo and Ojiwo–Itobe roads in Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

They were rescued on Monday during a joint operation involving the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, police and local vigilantes along the Ajaokuta–Anyigba road in Ofu.

A military official said a local hunter was killed during the operation, while a police officer sustained injuries.

The rescued victims comprised six adult males, six adult females and four children. They were subsequently taken through documentation, medical assessment and reunification with their families.

‘They made me an interpreter’

Recounting her ordeal, Ngozi said the kidnappers forced her to serve as an interpreter because she speaks Hausa fluently.

She said the abductors assigned varying ransom demands to the victims and instructed her to communicate the amounts to them.

“They told me, tell this person N50 million, tell this person N100 million, tell this person N70 million. That was how they were sharing it.”

According to her, she was also asked to pay N70 million for her release.

Ngozi said she attempted to plead with the kidnappers to reduce the amount but was threatened with violence.

She added that although the abductors assaulted some victims, she was spared, possibly because of her role as an interpreter.

The kidnappers reportedly collected the victims’ phones and switched them off, only returning them when they wanted the captives to contact their relatives and demand ransom.

Ngozi said the abductors repeatedly threatened to sell the victims to ritualists if their demands were not met.

“At some point, they were even threatening that if we were not able to provide the money, they would just sell us to ritualists and all that.”

She said the kidnappers fled after hearing gunshots from the approaching security operatives, abandoning bags containing phones and laptops collected from the victims.

“Thank God. We are now safe,” she said.

‘I bled throughout the night’

Daniel, another victim, said he sustained a serious injury while attempting to escape shortly after the abduction.

He said he spotted an opening and ran into a nearby bush, but one of the kidnappers pursued him and attempted to attack him with a cutlass.

Daniel said he raised his hand to shield himself, resulting in a deep cut to his vein.

“That is when the cutlass landed here and cut my vein. So, I was bleeding throughout the night.”

He said the bleeding eventually stopped after he applied herbs to the wound the following morning.

Daniel also disclosed that one of the kidnappers identified himself as Peter, adding that the gang spoke Igala, Fulani and Hausa among themselves so the victims could not understand their conversations.

He expressed gratitude to the security forces for securing their freedom but mourned the local hunter who was killed during the rescue operation.

Despite his injury, Daniel said he assisted in carrying the wounded police officer from the kidnappers’ hideout to the main road for evacuation.

“Even when I had this cut on my hand, I helped in carrying the officer from where we were held captive to the main road where we entered the car. My hand was swelling.”

The victims are now receiving medical attention and undergoing further processing before being reunited with their families.