One of the abducted natives of Ezimo in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State has d!ed out of shock shortly after regaining her freedom from her kidnappers.
LIB reported that the Nigerian Army on Friday, December 5, rescued 14 kidnapped victims during a clearance operation at Orokam Forest, Benue State, which shares borders with Udenu LGA.
Seven of the rescued victims from Ezimo were abducted while returning from a burial.
Eight others were kidnapped outside Ezimo, including two persons from the neighbouring Umuosigide community.
According to a family source, who elected not to be mentioned, the woman, identified as Agnes Obetta, about 50 years old, d!ed after her kidnappers had collected ransom for her release.
“Shortly after her release alongside others, there were gunshots not far from the bush where they were kept,” according to the family source.
“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.
