Man thankful to God after kidnappers chop off his hand

Nearly one month after regaining freedom from a tortuous 32 days in captivity, the trauma of the ordeal is yet to go away for Dr. Idongesit Udom, the former ExxonMobil worker, who is the proprietor of Sure Foundation Polytechnic, Ukanafun Local Council of Akwa Ibom State.

Udom was released with his right hand chopped off by his abductors for failure to pay the N70 million ransom demanded, though N5 million was paid by the family to secure his release.

In a Facebook post, Udom said he would be eternally grateful to God for giving him a new lease of life when all hope was lost. “Though I was released with my right hand cut off, I am eternally grateful to my God for the new life. My life was over during those turbulent 32 days.

“I am alive through the extended mercy, pardon and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has forgiven my sins and has answered the prayers of all those, both Christians and Muslims, who prayed for my safe return when I was in captivity.

“May the good Lord bless you all abundantly. May God bless the governor of Akwa Ibom State and members of his executive council, the people of Ukanafun Local Council, my family and all the security agencies that did everything possible to ensure my safe release,” he wrote.

It would be recalled that on April 9, 2017, which was on a Palm Sunday, Udom was on his way to mark the Passion Week leading to the celebration of Easter when gunmen abducted him at his Ikot Akai village.

The abductors told his family that the N5 million ransom they raised was paltry; an amount they considered was for their victim’s feeding money, the reason why he was not immediately released. And when he was eventually released, he right hand was chopped off.