Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Kwara State farmer who spent 74 days in captivity has recounted the harrowing moment he watched kidnappers execute eight fellow captives simply because their families could not meet ransom demands quickly enough. Abdullahi Abdulazeez, his younger brother and two workers were abducted while heading to their farm in Babanla, near Oke-Ode, Kwara State, in December 2025. In an interview with PUNCH, he detailed the brutality of the kidnappers' camp, the relentless negotiations, and the N27 million ransom that eventually secured his freedom.
Abdulazeez, a farmer of 26 years, was ambushed alongside his brother and two workers. "When the kidnappers attacked us, they marched my brother with a cutlass. They handcuffed me, my younger brother and my workers and took all of us into the bush," he said. After trekking for nearly four hours, they arrived at the kidnappers' camp around 6 p.m., where they encountered other captives.
What he witnessed there was nothing short of a massacre. "What we saw there was terrible. They were killing people in our presence. I witnessed about eight people being killed. They were killing people one after another. If a victim's family did not make payment on time, they would kill the person. They had no mercy," Abdulazeez told PUNCH. The kidnappers operated without fear, using helicopters to meet negotiators and receiving supplies that included codeine and tramadol. "They acted as if nobody could stop them," he said.
The kidnappers initially demanded N400 million for his release. Over the course of nearly two and a half months, his father paid approximately N27 million in multiple instalments. The first payment of N10 million was followed by another N10 million transfer, then two additional payments. The kidnappers also demanded items like soya milk, nuts, and drugs. Even after the initial payment, they refused to release him, claiming the person who collected the money had run away with it.
"My father had to look for more money. Eventually, he made the additional payments, including the N7m that was part of the final negotiations. After the final payment was made, they released us," Abdulazeez said. He was released on February 12, 2026. By then, he and his brother were extremely weak. They trekked through the bush until they reached a military base the following day, where soldiers provided food and care.
The ordeal did not end with his release. The kidnappers destroyed everything his family owned. "They burnt our houses, farms and other properties. Everything was destroyed," he said. "We had to leave because we could no longer feel safe there". He has since relocated to Akure.
Abdulazeez has now called on the government to take the security situation in Kwara State seriously. "The government needs to take the security situation in Kwara State seriously. There are groups operating in the area, and the authorities need to investigate them properly and identify those responsible for the attacks," he said. He also criticised the government's approach of bringing in "hunters" without proper investigation, noting that residents were uncomfortable because there were already concerns about some of those coming into the area.
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