From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Abducted traditional ruler of Orodo autonomous community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, who recently regained his freedom from his abductors has countered the claim by the State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma that he was rescued by the police.
Ohiri, who is the immediate past chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, while briefing the press had maintained rather that his freedom was divine. He confessed to paying ransom to his abductors.
Although he said he would have preferred to remain quiet on the police claims, but had no choice than to “set the record straight”.
Narrating his ordeal, Eze Ohiri said that he arrived his community during the Yuletide to celebrate with his people only to end up being abducted by heavily armed gunmen.
According to him, “I came back to celebrate the 2023 Christmas and New year, 2024 with my people only for me to wake up at the early hours of January 6, 2024 and entered into hands of these men.”
He continued: “After visiting one of my old boys, I was driving home when they attacked us.
“I was forced into their own vehicle amidst that horrible struggling, but I thank God that nobody was shot, because they were with guns. That was how it happened, thanked God, my cousin smartly introduced himself to them as my driver and he was freed.
“They blind-folded me and zoomed off to an unknown destination. I was first of all kept in an uncompleted building before I was transferred to another place. Within 12 days I spent with them, I saw hell.
“At that point, negotiation began between my people and the kidnappers. That eventually resulted in my regaining freedom after first and second ransoms were paid.
“They took me and another victim to Eziama-Obiato, a community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area along Owerri-Onitsha Express way at night after spending 12 days in their den. And from there, I found my way back to Owerri to Control Post, where my people came and took me back to my palace.”
Reiterating his release, he said: “What I’m saying is that whatever police claimed was not in any case of my own incident. I was released by the grace of God and through the support of my family, community members, friends and well-wishers.”