By Our correspondent
It was a Christmas season that Simon Eze would never forget – for all the wrong reasons.
He and his friend, Batho, were kidnapped on their way home two days before Christmas. Blindfolded and taken to a forest , they were held captive with other victims.
However, fate intervened when Simon overheard his abductors struggling to wrap their Indian hemp.
Seizing the opportunity, he offered to assist them, revealing that he had previously dealt with the substance.
The kidnappers, intrigued by his claim, took off his blindfold and asked for his help.
Simon’s dexterity in wrapping the Indian hemp impressed the kidnappers, but it was his proficiency in smoking it that left them stunned.
In a surprising turn of events, the kidnappers, seemingly pleased with Simon’s skills, asked him and his friend to leave their den unconditionally.
In a chilling revelation, Simon shared with our correspondent the darker side of his experience.
“While I was in the den, I witnessed the killing of some victims,” he recounted, his voice trembling.
“The kidnappers would sell the body parts of their victims to ritualists. It was a horrific experience, and I’m grateful to have escaped alive.”
Simon’s tale took a more shocking turn as he revealed that some security operatives were regular visitors to the kidnappers’ den.
“They would come in the evening, fraternize with the kidnappers, and even share food and drinks with them,” Simon alleged.
“It was as if they were friends. I was amazed by the level of camaraderie between the kidnappers and the law enforcement agents.”
Simon described the kidnappers’ den as “a world of its own.”
“Shockingly, the kidnappers had an arrangement with tipper drivers, who would use their trucks to create a makeshift road through the forest,” Simon revealed, adding”This allowed the kidnappers to drive their victims deep into the forest, making it even more difficult for them to escape or be rescued.”
He claimed that food vendors would routinely come to the camp to supply food to the criminals, and that the den was a thriving, albeit illicit, community.
“My experience there raises serious questions about corruption and complicity within some security operatives. It highlights the need for urgent reform and accountability within the system.
“I’m just grateful to be alive and returning to my normal life. My experience has taught me that even in the darkest of situations, hope can emerge from the most unexpected places.
“However, I also believe that my story highlights the need for a more vigilant and effective approach to combating crime and corruption.
“It’s shocking to think that kidnappers can operate with such impunity, and that some law enforcement agents can be complicit in their activities.
“I hope that my story can serve as a wake-up call for our authorities to take decisive action against crime and corruption,” Simon said.
