Kidnapped Enugu woman d!es of shock after regaining freedom
One of the abducted residents of Ezimo in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State has reportedly d!ed from shock shortly after she was freed by her kidnappers.
As earlier reported, the Nigerian Army on Friday, December 5, rescued 14 kidnapped victims during a clearance operation in Orokam Forest, Benue State, which borders Udenu LGA.
Seven of the rescued victims from Ezimo had been abducted while returning from a burial, while eight others — including two people from the neighbouring Umuosigide community — were taken in separate incidents.
According to a family source, who asked not to be named, the deceased, identified as 50-year-old Agnes Obetta, passed away shortly after ransom had been paid for her release.
“Not long after she was freed with the others, gunshots rang out near the bush where they had been held,” the source said.
“The newly freed kidnap victims were forced to scamper for safety. When they assembled again for their journey back home, already in the night, the deceased was nowhere to be found. Those who delivered the ransom and the victims returned home.
“The next day, the son of the missing woman, accompanied by some men, went in search of his mother. She was found unconscious. She was rushed to a hospital at Orokam in Benue State, but was referred to another hospital at Obollo-Afor because of her health complications. Her blood pressure was very high.”
It was gathered that medical doctors on duty made all efforts to save, but were unsuccessful.
It was further gathered that the captives were under fed while in captivity.
A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mr Hillary Onah, said that the public “deserves to know the full circumstances surrounding the tragic d3ath of Mrs Agnes Obetta.
Onah claimed that Mrs Obetta’s first son was still with the kidnappers while they were counting “the ransom money when gunshots suddenly rang out from the supposed rescue team”.
He said the kidnappers, alarmed by the sporadic shooting, fled with the ransom while the victims scrambled for safety.