How Nigerian Police Shot My Cousin and Labelled Me A Robber – Kidnap Victim

A kidnapping survivor has recounted the tragic account of his ordeal involving the Nigerian Police, which ultimately resulted in the death of his cousin who bravely rescued him from the kidnappers’ hideout.

53-year-old Alexander Ugwu in an interview with Vanguard shared his experience, providing insights into the tragic incident where his cousin, Ellias Ugwu, a 60-year-old lawyer based in Enugu, was shot by the police.

Ugwu recounted how his cousin went to pay the ransom to secure his release after he was kidnapped along the Benue road while traveling to his base in a commercial bus.

During their journey, they encountered armed Fulani herdsmen who blocked the highway and were in the process of kidnapping others.

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His words, “…Around 7 pm on Friday, they called him, and he said he couldn’t come out at that time to Aloma, that he is an old man and he was afraid. They said he should sleep somewhere, that the next day they would tell him when and where to bring the ransom and the items.

“On Saturday morning, 9th of March, we usually take long-distance walks with these kidnappers inside the bush barefooted. It is from one bush to another…

“So, the villagers who saw my uncle and his friend that were coming to rescue me, driving around, were the ones that called the police informing them that there is a vehicle that is roaming around the community through an escape road behind the university.

“So, the policemen came and laid ambush. They parked their vehicle in the bush close to the road. When we were coming back, we saw a police vehicle packed distantly and we were happily approaching the vehicle. The next thing we heard was ‘stop’and then the sound of gunshots and my brother was hit on his head. He lost control, the vehicle ran into the bush. That was when one of the security people said they are police officers. I used a cloth to tie my uncle’s head because he was bleeding profusely.  The police then used something to attach it to their Hilux to pull out the vehicle.

“We already told them who we were, but it was already too late. They had finished searching the vehicle expecting to see a huge sum of money. The kind of clothes I wore made them realise that I was a victim of kidnap, they became tired. They took us to Maria Goretti Hospital in Ayingba. When we got to the hospital, the officer in charge told his men not to allow us to speak to anyone. They handcuffed and took us to the area command’s office. My uncle was admitted. It was on Sunday morning that he died.

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“At about 11 am the following day, they came with their Hiliux and took us to Area one police Station, Lokoja. That was where we were tortured and questioned, and later wrote our statements. They said we were armed robbers I said no, I am. a kidnap victim. The man who came with my uncle to pay ransom asked them to bring out the money they took from our vehicle, that the money was withdrawn from Nsukka, Zenith bank, not Anyingba. Luckily they brought out N300,000 from the vehicle, the teller zenith bank, Nsukka was boldly written on paper used in folding the money. I brought out the clothes that I wore all through my captivity in the kidnapper’s den, that was when they believed we were not robbers.

“When we finished writing our statements, they took us into a cell. We slept in the cell till Monday morning when they started taking us from one office to another. They put on camera while interviewing us. Then, the officer in charge asked them not to put us inside the cell again. He then asked us to call our relatives to come and bail us. That was how we were bailed on Tuesday morning.”