by Hauwa Gambo

The wife of abducted (and now released) Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Kehinde Bamigbetan has narrated the harrowing six days that she spent while her husband was abducted and held down.

She spoke in an interview with Vanguard:

“I thank everybody, people really prayed for us. I thank God he is back. I believe in the powers of prayers; there was no better option to prayers, because I didn’t know where my husband was. It was a rude shock,  I didn’t expect that to ever happen to any body in Lagos. So when it happened, we couldn’t do any other thing  than to resort to prayers.

“I thank the family members because they really stood by me and my family; they all came around and started praying everyday— friends, political associates, neighbours and well wishers came and offered prayers and fasting, holding vigil every day.

“I thank God that he answered our prayers, he was released at the end of the day. Though we were praying, we didn’t know it was going to happen that day. We never expected him back, when he came back, my husband just appeared miraculously.

“The kidnappers were still calling us that ‘my enemy’ will become a widow soonest, that I will soon carry my husband’s corpse. I was just crying, begging them on the phone not to make me a widow, that at least they have mothers, sisters, if at all they were not married.

“I was just pleading with them. It came to the extent that the Christian community, Muslim community, all came to our house and started praying. At this point, I knew God will intervene. So when he walked in later in the night, we were not expecting him; we were just shocked, and I’m so happy that he came back unhurt.

“They communicated with me about twice throughout the ordeal. The first one was when he was kidnapped; they called me around 2 am or thereabout. They said madam, we have your husband, his life has been paid for but if you can bail him they would consider him.”

Mr. Bamigbetan was abducted by three gunmen at his Ona Iwa Mimo street house in Ejigbo, on Monday, 15 April just before noon. He was released late Saturday evening.