A woman who was rescued from kidnappers in the Ogbere forest area of Ogun State has recounted the terrifying moments she endured in captivity, revealing that she had given up hope of surviving and had already prayed for God to grant her eternal rest before help finally arrived.
The victim, who identified herself simply as Temiloluwa, was among five abducted travellers rescued by the Ogun and Lagos State joint security outfit, Operation Kosaye, during a coordinated rescue operation on Friday.
Speaking with journalists on Saturday at the Police Training School, Iperu-Remo, Temiloluwa described the rescue as nothing short of a miracle and urged the Federal Government to improve the welfare, equipment and remuneration of police officers who risk their lives daily to protect Nigerians.
According to her, the nightmare began on Thursday, June 25, while she was travelling from Edo State to Lagos to spend her annual leave with her family.
Temiloluwa, an Information Technology officer with a private company in Edo State, said she was travelling alongside two senior colleagues when heavily armed kidnappers ambushed their vehicle around Ogbere in Ijebu East Local Government Area.
She recalled that sporadic gunfire erupted suddenly, causing confusion as vehicles on the highway crashed into one another in desperate attempts to escape.
"The incident happened around 4 p.m. We suddenly heard gunshots everywhere. There was a vehicle in front of us and another behind us. In the confusion, our vehicle collided with another one. I hit my head against the front seat and one of my teeth came off," she said.
She explained that while the driver managed to escape, another colleague who had an opportunity to flee chose to stay behind after noticing she was bleeding heavily.
"The engineer sitting in front could have escaped too, but when he saw me covered in blood, he couldn't leave me behind," she added.
The kidnappers reportedly stripped the victims of their valuables, including cash, jewellery and wristwatches, before forcing them on a gruelling four-hour trek deep into the forest.
According to Temiloluwa, the abductors later compelled the victims to contact their families and demanded a ransom of N20 million for their release.
Hope appeared lost until Friday evening when the sound of intense gunfire echoed through the forest.
"We didn't know what was happening. The kidnappers started running while we struggled to hide. One of us eventually gathered enough courage to look around and discovered it was the police. That was the last thing I ever expected," she said.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Temiloluwa admitted that she had resigned herself to death long before the rescue team arrived.
"We have always believed the police were not doing enough, but when I came out of the bush and saw the officers in their numbers, I was speechless. I had already accepted that I would not survive. I had even prayed to God to grant me access to His kingdom if I died.
"Seeing the police come to rescue us completely changed my perception. Since bringing us out, they have treated us with care and dignity."
She appealed to both the Federal and State Governments to prioritise the welfare of security personnel, insisting that better salaries, allowances and operational equipment would further strengthen the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes.
"They should be properly equipped, and everything concerning their welfare should be top-notch. These are the people putting their lives on the line so that the rest of us can sleep peacefully. Government must continue to boost their morale so they can do even more for Nigerians," she said.
Another rescued victim, Mr. Jimoh Gbadamosi, also commended the swift intervention of Operation Kosaye and echoed calls for greater investment in policing, stressing that improved funding and welfare would enhance the capacity of security agencies to tackle criminal activities across the country.
The successful rescue has once again highlighted the growing security concerns along the Ogbere axis while underscoring the critical role of coordinated security operations in responding to kidnapping incidents and restoring hope to victims and their families.