Two teenage boys from Umudibia Autonomous Community in Imo State have shared a chilling account of their escape from a kidnappers’ den, where 15 other victims were allegedly slaughtered. The boys were among a group of people kidnapped by the bandits and were being held captive in a forest.
The boys aged 14, narrated how they were trapped in the kidnappers’ custody on Good Friday, a day of great significance for Christians around the world.
According to their account, the kidnappers had planned to harvest the organs of the victims, but the boys managed to escape.
The teenagers’ harrowing tale is a stark reminder of the dangers and violence that many people face in the Southeast region. Their bravery and resilience in the face of such trauma are truly commendable.
We Saw 15 People Slaughtered
The boys’ account of the massacre is a disturbing and heartbreaking tale.
According to them, the kidnappers showed no mercy to their victims, and the boys were forced to witness the brutal killings.
The boys’ escape is nothing short of miraculous, and their story serves as a testament to the human spirit’s ability to persevere in the face of adversity.
It was on good Friday when Christians all over the world were celebrating the crucifixion of the son of God, two teenage boys from Umudibia Autonomous Community in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State were trapped in the kidnappers’ custody in the middle of thick forest where they await their turn when their organs would be harvested.
The two teenage boys, Daniel and Destiny, shared a chilling account of their ordeal after being kidnapped. In an interview with The Nation, they recounted how their lives took a terrifying turn on Friday, April 17.
The siblings said they left home around 11 am that day to repair their phone at a shop near the Federal Polytechnic Nekede Junction. However, when the repair couldn’t be done, they headed to Alaba market via Cluster along the Ihiagwa-Poly road.
After getting their phone repaired, they began their journey back home, following the same route. That’s when their nightmare began. They were approached by men in a tinted mini bus who offered them a ride. Despite initial reluctance, the boys somehow ended up in the bus and fell asleep.
When they woke up, they found themselves in a dense forest, alongside 15 other victims, surrounded by their kidnappers.
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“Upon waking, we found ourselves in a dense forest, surrounded by the kidnappers, alongside 15 other victims, and were met with an atmosphere of fear and terror.”
Looking sick and pale, the boys said they endured 12 days of hardship in the kidnappers’ custody, exposed to rain, cold, and mosquito bites without food. “We wept and prayed for help,’ they recounted. “We were tied up and exposed to the elements, and the mosquito bites were relentless.”
We saw many people’s throats slit and blood was all over the place. Each person that was killed was carried to unknown place and some were carried away alive until we remained four boys.
Some significant happened, the five men started quarreling among themselves whether to kill the four of us or not. Four said it was not the agreement showing that it was an insider’s arrangement to abduct the boys.
We were later moved to another unconscious. It was at the new location where God intervened.
“We witnessed the gruesome killing of many people , their throats slit, and the area was covered in blood. Each victim was taken away, some alive, others dead, until only four of us remained.”
A significant development however occurred when the five men keeping watch over us began arguing among themselves about whether to kill us or not. “Some of them claimed that killing us wasn’t part of the original agreement,” hinting that the abduction might have been an insider’s arrangement.
“We were later moved to a new location while unconscious again. It was at this new site that a miraculous turn of events occurred, and God intervened.”
“A call came it appears like a woman, demanding that the abductors bring her son to collect their ransom. So, three of the kidnappers left with one of us, only two remained behind. Later, the two received another call and hastily departed, leaving us tied to a tree. It was then that our chance to escape arose.”
One of the boys, Daniel, explained that the rope used to tie him had loosened, allowing him to free himself. He quickly untied his brother, but when he offered to help the third boy, he refused, asking them to wait. The two boys took advantage of the opportunity and ran through the dense bush until they reached Aba Road.
“The rope used to tie me loosen and I noticed that my hands were free, so I rushed to untie my brother’s hands and offered to assist the other boy but he refused asking us to wait. We ran through the thick bush until we came out to Aba Road.”
Community reacts
The Umudibia Women Association in Owerri West LGA of Imo State has laud miraculous escape of two teen boys and called on the government to increase security patrols in the state, particularly around school environments and areas where children frequent.
The association’s President, Mrs. Ijioma Onyenobi, expressed concern over the recent cases of missing children in their community, where the Federal Polytechnic Nekede is located.
“We are worried about the safety of our children,” Mrs. Onyenobi said. “There have been cases of missing children in our community, and we suspect they are being used for organ harvesting. We urge the government to take immediate action to increase patrols in the area.”
A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, corroborated the association’s concerns, revealing plans for a protest march to draw attention to the issue. “There will be a protest march soon, involving both men and women, to demand action from the government,” the resident said. “We want the authorities to take concrete steps to protect our children and prevent further abductions.”
The women association’s plea highlights the growing concern about kidnapping and organ harvesting in Imo State. The community is demanding increased security measures to ensure the safety of residents, particularly children.
The government has yet to respond to the association’s call, but the planned protest march is expected to bring attention to the issue and push for action.
Catholic Priests condemn kidnappings
Also, the Owerri Archdiocesan Priests’ Association has expressed deep concern over the escalating security crisis in Imo State, where kidnappings, abductions, and violent invasions have become commonplace.
In a communique by the Secretary, Owerri Archdiocesan Priests Association, Rev. Fr Chijioke Ekeada the priests association condemned the attacks, which have left many people, including clergy and religious, victims of these horrendous crimes.
The association’s communique highlighted the dire situation in the State, where fear has driven many young people to flee the country, and mothers no longer feel safe on their farms.
The priests association demanded that the government and civil authorities fulfill their constitutional duty to protect lives and property, citing the apparent helplessness of security forces in the face of widespread violence.
“The situation is dire. Kidnappings for ransom, abductions for organ harvesting, and violent invasions of people’s lands and farms are now commonplace across Imo State and Igbo land. These horrors are no longer distant headlines-they are personal.
“Our priests and faithful parishioners have suffered terribly, and the pain continues to spread. While we have an innumerable number of people who have fallen victims, in the past ten years, between 2015 and 2025, there are more than 50 clergy and religious victims of this horrendous situation from Ahiara, Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri dioceses, with Okigwe recording the highest of 47 priest victims, and two deaths from Owerri and Orlu respectively, all in imo State alone.
“The perpetrators, often identified as Fulani herdsmen, strike with increasing boldness and cruelty. This is a nightmare no one should endure, let alone our people.
“Sadly, our security forces appear helpless. Whether due to lack of equipment, insufficient capacity, or absence of political will, they have failed to stem the tide of this evil. Their apparent paralysis in the face of widespread violence is deeply troubling.”
The association called on all clergy and religious to commit the situation into God’s hands, praying for protection and intercession.
They urged the faithful to pray the Rosary, soliciting the intercession of the Virgin Mary, and asked her to cover Ndigbo and indigenous peoples of Nigeria with her powerful mantra of protection.
The communique urged the people to stand together in solidarity and courage, protecting their land and livelihoods from destruction.
They also sounded a stern warning to infiltrators using the forests as cover for criminal activity and those sponsoring this influx of dangerous elements into Imo State.
