Not By Choice

One day, one horrible incident, and a person’s life can change forever.

On New Year day, a young man in his mid twenties drove into his compound in Ekpoma, Edo state, but unknown to him, escorts were right behind him, waiting for the right time to attack.

We are going to call him F.

F is just twenty-five years old, but due to the success he attained at an early age, he was able to acquire a house, a car, start a family – a wife and a baby – and even see himself through the university. Everything was perfect for F and his young, little family. The festive season was still on.

F had his wife’s twin sister and his younger brother, who was just a young teenager in their home. They never saw that day coming.

The moment F arrived home that day, he honked. Everyone else he had left at home was relaxing outside, and so when they heard the sound of his car, his teenage younger brother hurried to the gate to open it. F drove in. His younger brother proceeded to close the gate as usual, but he was intercepted by armed men.

They rushed into the compound without warning.

F and his family were confused and worried. There was no time to ask questions or swing into any possible action. The armed men knew what they came for, and because they knew that their time was limited, they had to operate really fast. Meanwhile, F’s wife was able to run into the house with her baby, where she peeped from the window to see what was going on helplessly.

F and his wife’s twin sister were dragged out of the compound that day, but they didn’t leave without a mark.

They beat up F’s teenage brother until the young boy fainted.

F’s family ran to the police to report the case as soon as they could, but the policemen said that they had already heard about the abduction and that they were sending their men into the bush to rescue them, so they should go back home, but they never did. Till this very day, F’s family never heard from the police. They had to handle things themselves.

They were taken far into the bush, and in no time, their families were alerted that they had been kidnapped and ransom was needed, but before they even got there, they withdrew every penny from F’s bank account.

But of course, they weren’t satisfied.

These armed men already knew what they wanted and so they didn’t hesitate to state their demands; for F, they wanted the sum of thirty million naira, while for his wife’s twin sister, they wanted the sum of twenty million naira, each amounting to fifty million naira.

After the hefty sum of money, they had other “miscellaneous” demands.

Added to the fifty million naira, they wanted F and his wife’s family to get Codeine, Ice, Colorado – hard drugs they consume – and five portions of fried rice (specifically) and chicken for them.

• LinkedIn
• X
• Facebook
• WhatsApp

F was allowed to speak with his family members from their den, and he pleaded with them to help save him, otherwise, he would be murdered like a chicken. His family, although devastated and scared to their bones, had to put aside their feelings and take action.

The family pleaded for a lesser amount, but the kidnappers wouldn’t budge.

Since F had been able to acquire assets and properties, they had to start selling them off at the best possible prices they could get because they needed the money as soon as possible; these kidnappers weren’t patient criminals.

By the time F’s family was done selling his properties and also, donating from the little they had, they were able to raise fifteen million naira. As much as they desperately tried, they couldn’t sell off F’s house because they couldn’t get a quick buyer. Fortunately for these families, the kidnappers eventually decided to accept the fifteen million naira.

They also ensured they got their other demands.

After all that was done, they were given address of where to drop the money and items. The only brave person who could go all the way into the bush to drop the ransom was F’s brother-in-law, who happened to be in the army. However, as he carried out this “brave” assignment, he went dressed as a regular man.

The kidnappers got what they wanted; they were impressed, and F and his wife’s twin sister were released on January 4th, 2026. F returned to his family with injuries on his body sustained from their ruthless beatings. Fortunately for his wife’s twin sister, they didn’t have their way with her for the few days they had her in their custody.

F confirmed that the men who took them were from the North, as he heard them speaking the “Fulani” language amongst themselves. Also, the stick they used in beating him was the same one they use in controlling their cows.

It wasn’t how both families, especially F and his wife’s sister, hoped to begin the year. F is still trying to recover from the injuries and the shock of everything that happened, as the trauma is still very raw and fresh. It might take a long while, but right now, he is with his family, recuperating.

In the past week, Ekpoma has been going through a series of abductions from these cruel and heartless creatures. Some lives have been lost in the process. A protest was carried out, but it was as good as nothing.

Families now live in fear and panic because no one knows where they could be hiding, ready to pounce on their next victim and make outrageous demands.

The government is not helping. Their cries for help are not being heard. They have been abandoned to protect themselves or dance to the tune of these strangers.

When will this nightmare end for them?