IKA WEEKLY – A 25-year-old youngman and an apprentice carpenter, Mr. Jereton Iwe narrowly escaped being used for rituals as he was kidnapped at Boji-Boji Owa in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State and taken to a bush at Orogodo in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State where he was to be used for sacrifice.
Mr. Iwe who hails from Owa-Ofien in Owa Kingdom in Ika land, said he left his residence at Boji-Boji Owa for his village, Ofien on April 28, 2008 at 5.45am to Ugbaja/Convent Street Junction to pick a motorcycle when five hefty men in an Audi Car accosted him and forced him into their car.
Narrating his ordeal, Jereton Iwe said that when he asked what he has done to warrant such treatment, the men who are all in police uniform told him that he was a suspect and that they were taking him to the Police Station.
He said that as the driver of the car started moving, he headed towards Agbor Police Station, adding when they got to the Agbor Police Station along Lagos/Asaba Road Agbor the men failed to enter, saying that he was forced to ask them for the second time to tell him to where they were taking him.
Jereton said one of them told him that they were kidnappers and that they were taking him to their customers for rituals and all he need do is to start praying.
He remarked that at this point in time one of them told the driver in Edo Language not to take Agbor/Benin Expressway but to divert to Sakpoba Road to avoid police check point, adding that in compliance with the directive, the driver took to Agbor/Sakpoba Road through Alihame Village to Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.
He disclosed that when he sat between two men he was not allowed to look side ways but that he took a snap peep by the side of the car he saw that another victim who is also a youngman had hands tied behind his back.
Jereton further said he and the other victim were driven through earth roads in thick forest, pointing at that at a point along Orogho area, they men stopped, claiming that there was no more fuel in the car and took an empty 50 litres Jerry can and 5 of them came of the car to go and look for fuel.
He remarked that before they left he was tied one hand with a rope to the other victim, adding that as the men were out of sight, he quickly asked the other victim where he came from and the man said he is a native of Umunede, pointing out that he Jereton advised, the other victim that they should run away or else they would be killed.
Jereton further said that as they ran into the bush some persons suspected to be customers of their captors gave them hot chase, adding that it was at that stage that he and his co-victim ran to different directions and consequently lost contact.
He said that as he was running in the bush, he fell three times and sustained bruises.
He disclosed that he remained in the bush for a whole day without coming across any road or sign of human existence, and slept in the bush, saying that at the break of the day, April 29, 2008, he start moving inside forest and that at noon, he came across farm road but did not know which side lead to where people reside.
Luckily, as he move along, Jereton said he saw a house but no body was around for any inquiry, adding that as he moved further, he saw another house with a boy inside, saying that when he spoke to him Pigeon English, the by replied that the area is known as Orogho Camp in Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
Jereton Iwe said when he narrated his ordeal, the boy took pity on him and offered him water; adding that when the father of the boy came back from the farm his son explained his condition to him and the man allowed him to stay and sleep with them for that Tuesday, April 29, 2008, adding that in the morning of Wednesday April 30, 2008, the boy helped him to contact one motorcyclist who took to a nearby village where he boarded a taxi cab that took him to Benin City through Sakpoba Road.
He said it was the motorcyclist who paid N300 to the taxi driver as the N800 on him at the time he was kidnapped, has been taken from him by his captors, adding that when he got Benin City, he contacted a friend who again paid his fare from Benin City to Boji-Boji Owa.
Jereton said when he returned to Ofien and narrated his ugly experience members of his family were full of praises to God, adding that it would have been difficult to trace what happened to him because those in Boji-Boji Owa were thinking he had traveled to Ofien while those in Ofien were thinking he was in Boji-Boji Owa.
Jereton said that as a sign of gratitude to God, members of his family held a thanksgiving service to God at Ozioma Baptist Church Owa-Ofien last Sunday.
He gave his father?s name as Mr. Robert Iwe and the priest in charge of Ozioma Baptist Church owa-Ofien as Rev.
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