On Wednesday the 19th of October, news broke that Emmanuel Oluwakoya, a young man of about 20 years boarded a bus from Berger on the Mainland to Lekki but he did not return home.
SOS messages were shared across WhatsApp groups. A concerned mother who is very likely not a family member, Busurat Abiodun Odeuyung sent the message to Hettysmedia.
Hettysmedia broadcast it across its websites, Facebook and Instagram pages. Groups of Christians especially mothers joined in the search for young Emmanuel.
It was heartwarming to learn on Friday that he had returned home. According to him, he had to personally update the world, especially everyone who showed concern, about his experience in the hands of the kidnappers.
His story:
Hello, This is Emmanuel OLUWAKOYA popularly known as Emmybest. I’m back now to the world again, and here I’m gonna share my encounter ASAP as the world is waiting for it.
It happened on Wed, 19th of October, 2022 where I went Lekki Phase 1 ITF office that was supposed to be adjacent Pinnacle petroleum station.
7am on Wednesday, I entered a vehicle from Berger to Lekki and was successfully dropped there, although, not at Pinnacle so I had to trek about 5 minutes to the ITF office.
On getting there, they had moved and I was surprised cause I was still there few months ago so I still had to check to confirm that they truly moved because no signboard or banner was even placed there and it was unusual.
I started to knock, at least to confirm, but the gate was locked. Still looking confused, a guy passed by me wearing a casual cloth, asking me if I knew a placed called Arena ‘Guy, I no know’ that was my reply as I walked forward a bit, in few second he came back saying ‘I just dey ask simple question na, I no dey beg I get money na’ I repeated, ‘How far? Guy, I talk say I no know.
Roughly 2sec next, a 10 passenger white bus that had five people in it stopped at my front and I USED my Leg to enter it. (I wasn’t forced to enter) 2mins after, the bus picked another person at the front a matured, probably married Man and started to move. While inside the bus, No one talked, calls were coming in from my mum and friends I was cutting them, it got to a stage I put my phone in Airplane Mode. Nobody told me, everything happening was instinctively.
About 30 to 45mins away from Pinnacle, we got to our destination, and I found the guy that asked me question some minute back, it was then I knew ‘Something don sup’ everyone was silent though. They kept 2 of us in a building together for like one hour, that was like around 1pm then. We could not talk, we were just looking waiting for the next action, but my brain was loading , Only that I could not just talk.
After like 1hr, 4 Men came inside, asked us to bring everything we had in our pocket. I brought out my Phone and Purse which had about 6k and 3 ATMs they asked how much we had, the man said 150,000 and they made transfer themselves. It got to my turn, I said I don’t know how much I have, but I have like 8k in my UBA and about 40k in my Kuda.
They went to kuda and saw 20k there, so the transferred it to my UBA and withdrew everything. They collected my ATMs, Phone and my bag containing my business assets. They didn’t strife or force, we willingly gave them. No even instrument with them
After the money transfer, they went back to the man, rubbed something on his two Arm and asked him to repeat after him, which he did and to my awe, he collapsed instantly. They left him down, and came to me, removed my wrist watch did the same thing and I also repeated after them, but nothing happened to me. The Four of them were surprised and separated from the room where the other man collapsed and kept me there for another one 1hr.
The room was black, but I could see bacco bags everywhere on the wall. Like after 1hr, they came back, this time, they were six. They rubbed it again on me vigorously on my two arms, and I repeated after them, they also added extra and ask me to say Amen which I did more 10times, expecting me to collapse instantly, but I was still active and intact. They Left me there again.
It was getting late, that same day, When nobody came to me, I decided to go around to check. I came out of the building, I went far small and saw people. I could not talk to any of them. I saw where they were retrieving Sim, I went there to buy and retrieve my sim successfully, and gave them about 700 in my back pocket. I just filled their form, I still could not talk.
I started thinking of my Mum and how she will feel at home without me. A single Parent who has been with me alone since 4yrs of Age, I said, ‘God, Let my Mummy hear my Voice oo’ and I started to speak as if I was in her front saying ‘Mummy dem don kidnap me ooo, but I think i’m safe etc like that. I didn’t have a phone, I should have called as I was like a ‘Free Bird’. Still walking up and down When I don’t know what next to do, I wasn’t even wearing my palm (Slippers) I decided to go back there If can go get them. When I noticed some people were even looking at me.
They signaled to me, I went back to them and told me ‘Don’t worry, you are safe, But People don’t walk about here as you can see. They took me back in there. My bag and things where Far away from me. I just slept off there.
The second day, they tied my Hand and repeated the same procedure, still nothing happened. I could not move about this time, I was just there, I remembered saying ‘I shall live to my full age like a shock of grain comes in its season’. Then I slept off.
Three people woke me up with my Bag in their hands, they gave me my wristwatch I could not check time cos it was still some how dark. I tried carrying it up, it was heavier than it used to be, I opened it and brought out my Two Laptops and gave them. They put it on and off it back and said guy, we no want put it back fast fast. Then, they brought me out finally, in 2mins I couldn’t find the building again after looking back and they told me to go straight without turning, go straight and don’t corner any where that I will see main road. I then could talk, and I asked them for Transport fare, they gave me #2500 to go and enter the needed vehicle.
I walked for about 2hrs, although I was stopping, resting because of I was tired without food. It was about 6am then. And I found Lagos bus after waiting and waiting.
It was in Lagos Bus I got the chance to borrow a passenger’s phone. I guess the kidnappers didn’t know I have retrieved my Sim. I couldn’t call or Text anybody. But I noticed my mum was getting an SMS each day from my sim with my name. I didn’t use my hand to text those words, but I spoke those very words aloud thinking and believing She’d be hearing me.
In conclusion, They only took my My Phone with Sim, ATM, and took about 25k which they used POS to withdraw from me and gave me 2500 back to come home.
Few days before, I had reposted a status from a friend that stated “when you are weary and weak, and you cannot pray, May you not lack intercessors in Jesus name.” I never knew I would find myself in such a situation. I cannot thank you all. I cannot because I don’t know you all. Calls from strangers that became brethren still flooded us even when I was home. My church? My School, My fellowship? My mom? My sister? my family? Friends? Friends of friends of Friends? Everyone who did the awareness and helped in one way or the other, my gratitude to you is eternal and all your prayers would be answered. I use myself as a point of contact to other missing people, the God of signs and wonders that would leave mouths gaping in awe shall visit y’all in Jesus Name. thank you so much.
To honorable Muyiwa, Ogunyemi Eyitayo, the special assistance to the governor of Ondo state on youth and students affairs, thanks for reaching out to my family. Thank you for taking necessary measures.
To the commissioner of Police, the DSS and all security personnel on my case, a very big thank you.
Special Thanks to my Aunty, Aunty Gbemmy, Baba Dee and our Family all the way from Sweden… I never knew those 2days of unusual absence could shock the world. Thanks again to the Government and commissioners for the instant Security option provided In all State and thanks to Nigerian Journalist and the instant action, in fact it was just amazing for me.
Not by Grace, nor prayers but by Mercy of God.
Related story:
Missing Person Alert ! Help Find Emmanuel Oluwakoya
Lost But Found: Emmanuel Oluwakoya Narrates Ordeal in Kidnappers’ Den
Thank You LORD