By Our Reporter
After spending 42 harrowing days in the captivity of armed bandits, a farm worker, Gbolahan Olaniyi, has recounted his daring escape from a forest hideout where he was held hostage alongside other victims.
Olaniyi was abducted on October 23, 2025, by heavily armed men while working on a farm in Oke Ako, Akoko Local Government Area of Ekiti State. He and a tractor operator were forcefully taken into a remote forest camp hidden deep within dense vegetation.
According to accounts of his ordeal, the kidnappers initially demanded N150 million ransom for the release of both captives. Following weeks of negotiations, the amount was reduced to N15 million, which Olaniyi’s family reportedly struggled to raise through loans and contributions.
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Despite receiving the payment, the kidnappers allegedly refused to release him and instead demanded an additional N5 million, as well as funds to secure the freedom of the tractor operator. When Olaniyi protested, he was reportedly beaten by his captors.
The situation worsened when efforts to raise money for the tractor operator failed. The bandits allegedly shot the operator after concluding that his family could not meet their demands.
Hope appeared lost until a strange turn of events occurred. A member of the gang later requested an additional N2 million from Olaniyi’s family. Although the money was eventually paid, the bandit who received it reportedly disappeared, leaving confusion within the group.
Olaniyi was subsequently placed under the watch of a lower-ranking member of the gang, who complained that he had received only N15,000 from the ransom proceeds. Frustrated by the development, the guard unexpectedly abandoned his post, leaving behind the keys to the chains used to restrain the captives.
At first, the captives were unsure of what had happened. After several hours, they realised they had been presented with a rare opportunity.
Gathering courage, they unlocked their chains and fled into the vast forest.
For days, they navigated unfamiliar terrain, surviving on fruits found in the bush and drinking water from streams. Exhausted and disoriented, they pressed on, determined not to return to captivity.
Their journey eventually led them to a farming community in Isanlu Esa, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, where residents offered them food, water and assistance.
The escapees were later taken to a nearby military checkpoint, where security personnel verified their identities before transferring them to a military facility in Ekiti State and subsequently to the police.
An emotional reunion followed when Olaniyi’s mother met him at the police station after more than six weeks of uncertainty and anguish.
Although he regained his freedom, the family is still reportedly struggling with debts incurred while raising ransom payments demanded by the kidnappers.
The incident highlights the growing insecurity affecting rural communities and farming settlements, where residents continue to face threats from kidnappers and criminal gangs operating in remote forests across the country.
