As Nigeria grapples with a surge in kidnappings, Olanrewaju Kazeem Musa shares his family’s nightmarish experience, revealing how they have been repeatedly targeted by abductors, forced to sell properties, and pay millions in ransom.

Having spent three months in captivity alongside his wife, Augusta, in 2022, Musa’s ordeal did not end with their release. In recent months, two of his brothers were killed, and his sister was kidnapped and freed only after a ₦2 million ransom was paid.

“Life is tough. The memories of what we went through are still fresh. We had no peace. We kept moving from one place to another just to escape,” Musa recounts.

In a desperate attempt to break free, he and his wife fled to Benin Republic to start over, but their nightmare only worsened. “We faced an even worse incident there and had to return to Nigeria, where we eventually paid the remaining ₦5 million ransom to the kidnappers,” he says.

Tragedy Strikes Again

Musa’s family suffered another devastating blow when his siblings were attacked.

“They were coming from a party in my car when gunmen stopped them at Allen Roundabout, Ikeja. Two were shot, one narrowly escaped, and our lastborn was kidnapped.”

Despite police claims that they rescued his sister, Musa insists his family paid ₦2 million for her release.

“There was no rescue. We had no choice but to pay. Nigerian police often tell families not to negotiate with kidnappers, but they are powerless. People who don’t pay are killed—I saw it myself,” he says.

Recalling his three-month ordeal, Musa describes the horrors he witnessed.

“They beat us daily, insulted us, and told us our families were poor. We met five other captives—men and women—almost all naked. No electricity, no network. They used firewood and lanterns. They fed us with dirty kunu once a day.”

The abductors executed victims regularly, often after collecting ransom.

“They killed anyone who misbehaved, couldn’t pay, or failed to reach their family. They had no fear of being caught. They believed no one could trace their location,” Musa says.

In the last three years, Musa’s family has paid over ₦20 million in ransoms.

“Kidnappers have turned my family into an ATM,” he laments. “Even the man who delivered the ₦2 million ransom for my sister was abducted. Now, we are trying to raise money to free him.”

A Nation in Crisis

Kidnapping has become an industry in Nigeria, with an estimated 2,140 cases recorded between January and July 2023. Reports suggest that Nigerians have paid approximately ₦2.2 trillion in ransoms over six months.

Musa believes poverty is fueling the crisis.

“Desperation drives people into crime. With limited access to education and jobs, many join gangs. Until we address poverty, kidnappings will continue,” he warns.

After surviving multiple abductions and witnessing loved ones killed, Musa sees only one option left: leaving Nigeria.

“I have lived like a fugitive for years. I don’t want to experience another kidnapping. This country is no longer safe for me and my family,” he says.