How I Escaped from Kidnappers’ Den Along Ekiti-Ilesa road – 23 year old man
A 23-year-old man, Ajayi Timilehin Seun, has recounted how he escaped from suspected kidnappers after an attack along the Ekiti-Ilesa Road on Sunday evening.
Ajayi, who resides at No. 55 Agara Bus Stop, Akala Expressway, Ibadan, said the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on May 25 when the commercial bus he boarded ran into an ambush allegedly set up by armed hoodlums.
According to him, the vehicle, with registration number Ebonyi NKE 737 XA, was travelling from Ekiti when it encountered a barricade mounted by the attackers.
The victim disclosed that the assailants, numbering about 10, were armed with AK-47 rifles and pump-action guns.
“The bus I boarded suddenly ran into their barricade. After the vehicle stopped, they ordered all passengers out at gunpoint,” Ajayi said.
He added that another bus travelling behind them was reportedly attacked, forcing the driver to veer off the road into nearby cashew tree while trying to escape.
Ajayi explained that passengers from both vehicles were subsequently marched into the bush by the kidnappers, where they were allegedly robbed of their belongings.
“On our way into the bush, we were ordered to lie face down and one of them hit my head with riffle boots while they searched our pockets and collected our money, phones, and other valuables,” he narrated.
The victim credited his eventual escape to the swift intervention of security operatives, including local vigilantes and hunters, who reportedly trailed the kidnappers shortly after the incident was reported.
He said the armed men later engaged the security personnel in a gun battle before fleeing the scene due to what he described as the superior firepower of the operatives.
Ajayi explained that amid the confusions and pains he noticed the individual guarding them was no longer nearby, giving him the opportunity to escape.
“I started crawling gradually when I noticed the man assigned to watch us was no longer in sight. After covering some distances amid severe pains in my neck, I stood up and ran until I got to a nearby village with two other victims,” he said.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Ajayi Timilehin Seun however concluded by expressing his intention to leave the country for the safety of his life, saying the attack was the third one he will be experiencing in a spate of 6 months.
Meanwhile, recent high-profile rescue operations in Oyo State have seen men escape abduction through active intervention of security forces.
