Ekiti Farm Manager Recounts Horrific Kidnapping Ordeal, Says Kwara Government Paid ₦350m Ransom for 38 Church Abductees
A farm manager who was kidnapped in Ekiti State has revealed the gruesome details of his ordeal, saying he was forced to dispose of his colleague’s body after he was shot dead by their captors. The victim, who managed to escape, disclosed that the kidnappers had demanded ₦55 million from his family, in addition to an initial ₦15 million ransom paid earlier.
According to the victim, he was abducted on October 23, 2025, at a farm in Oke-Ako town, Ekiti State, along with a colleague, Kazeem, who was killed during the incident. The kidnappers had initially demanded ₦15 million, food, drinks, recharge cards, and a mobile phone, which was paid on October 30. However, the abductors reneged on their promise to release him, instead demanding an additional ₦55 million.
In a shocking revelation, the victim claimed that a Fulani boy, an errand boy for the kidnappers, told him that the Kwara State government paid ₦350 million as ransom for 38 people abducted from a church in Eruku, Kwara State. The church abduction occurred on November 18, 2025, with the kidnappers initially demanding ₦100 million per victim.
The victim’s family had pleaded for government intervention, with his mother appearing in a video, crying and begging for her son’s life. The farm manager eventually escaped after 42 days in captivity, describing his experience as “physically and emotionally devastating”.
The incidents have raised concerns about insecurity in the region, with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) condemning the attacks and calling for government action to protect citizens.
