“I urinated on myself after they killed my colleague” — Ekiti farm manager recounts 42 days in kidnappers’ den

A 26-year-old farm manager, Gbolahan Olaniyi, has recounted his harrowing 42-day ordeal in the hands of kidnappers in Ekiti State, describing how he was forced to watch the killing of a colleague after ransom negotiations failed.

Olaniyi, who worked at a farm in Oke Ako, Ikole Local Government Area, said the traumatic experience has left him jobless and struggling with severe psychological distress.

How Gbolahan Olaniyi was arrested on the farm

The incident occurred on October 23, 2025, while he was supervising workers during a harvesting operation.

According to him, he became suspicious when one of the tractor operators stopped responding to calls. On getting to the farm, he noticed the tractor positioned abnormally and soon realised something was wrong.

“I heard a strange sound, and before I knew it, they had surrounded me. They were about seven, all carrying AK-47 rifles,” he said.

He was immediately restrained, robbed of his belongings, and marched into the forest alongside the injured tractor operator.

Ransom demands and betrayal

The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N150 million — N100 million for Olaniyi and N50 million for the operator. However, negotiations later reduced the demand to N30 million.

Olaniyi said attempts to reach his employer failed after she allegedly blocked his number and that of the kidnappers.

“My mum had to step in. She begged and eventually raised N2 million at first, then negotiated further,” he explained.

Despite efforts by both families, the situation took a tragic turn when the operator’s associates could only raise N2 million.

Horror in captivity

Olaniyi described the moment his colleague was killed as the most terrifying experience of his life.

“They said N2 million was nothing. Then they shot him twice — in the stomach and chest. He died immediately,” he said.

“I was urinating on myself. I was shaking and couldn’t move.”

He added that he and another captive were forced to carry the victim’s body into the bush before being relocated deeper into the forest.

Over time, the group of abductees reduced as others were released after paying varying sums between N5 million and N20 million, leaving him behind.

42 days of survival

During captivity, Olaniyi said they were fed plain rice once daily with limited water, while enduring repeated beatings and harsh conditions.

He was later moved to another camp, where he was chained alongside two other captives. According to him, they eventually realised their captors were linked to a major kidnapping operation in Kwara State.

Hope for freedom came when a member of the gang — described as an errand boy — abandoned his post after receiving only a small share of the ransom money.

“He dropped the keys and left. At first, we thought it was a trap,” Olaniyi recalled.

Seizing the opportunity, the captives freed themselves and escaped into the forest.

Escape and rescue

The escapees trekked for days through dense forest, surviving on river water until they eventually reached a farming settlement in Kogi State.

“They gave us food and helped us. From there, we were taken to an army camp,” he said.

Security personnel later facilitated his return to Ado Ekiti, where he reunited with his family and filed a formal report.

Lingering trauma

Since regaining freedom, Olaniyi says life has not returned to normal.

“I couldn’t sleep for weeks. Anytime I closed my eyes, I felt like I was still there,” he said.

He also admitted to living in constant fear, noting that certain encounters now trigger panic.

“The trauma is still there. Even when I go out and see certain people, I become scared,” he added.