Bello Audu, a peasant farmer in Akunnu Akoko in Akoko Northeast Local Government Area of Ondo state, has narrated his ordeal in the hands of kidnappers following his rescue.

Mr Audu, 50, was rescued by the men of the Amotekun Corps, after spending five days without food and water in the kidnappers’ den.

Sharing his experience with journalists on Monday, in Akure, Mr Audu said he was observing his regular 7:00 pm Muslim prayer at his home in Akunnu Akoko when the suspects stormed his front and began to flog him with a stick.

He said the suspects, numbering about six, dragged him to the forest where he was kept while negotiation for ransom was going on with his family.

“I was in my house observing the 7:00 pm prayer as a Muslim when suddenly the men numbering about six walked up to me on the mat and flogged me with a stick.

“Some of them were carrying guns and they asked me to follow them. They led me from my house to the forest before they contacted my family asking for ransom so that they could release me from their hideout,” he said.

Mr Audu revealed that while he was in the hideout of the kidnappers, he was offered cassava flakes (Garri) for the five days he spent in their den, noting that he was not offered water to drink.

“While I was in their hideout, they only offered me small garri (cassava flake) to eat. They didn’t give me water throughout.

“I was later rescued by men of the Amotekun Corps when they wanted to collect the ransom brought for them for my release and the suspects were arrested,” he added.

Adetunji Adeleye, the commander of the Amotekun Corp, said operatives of the local security outfit swung into action immediately after they got wind of the kidnap case of Mr Audu.

Mr Adeleye noted that the six suspects involved in the kidnapping of Mr Audu were nabbed following the coordinated intelligence of the men of the corps.

He explained that his “trained officers” had to disguise themselves as the members of the family of the victim negotiating the ransom to arrest the suspects.

“And at the point of collecting the ransom already negotiated with them, three among the armed kidnappers who came to collect the money were arrested.

“Their arrest led to the arrest of other members of the gang at different locations in the state,” he added.