Why I fought with kidnappers-Father of abducted undergraduate

Damaged door being repaired

Father of 16-year-old Rachel Chukwuemeka, a student of Caleb University, who was abducted last week, has revealed why he risked his life and fought with the kidnappers.

Rachel’s father, Mr. Chukwuemeka Umejuru, 64, said that he didn’t regret struggling with the kidnappers in an attempt to foil the kidnap of his daughter. He also disclosed that what was uppermost in his mind is how to facilitate the release of Rachel.

Injured Chukwuemeka

He said: “They demanded for N30million, but later reduced it to N10million. I don’t even know where I can get that sort of money from. Is it because I’m struggling to send my daughter to a private university that they thought I had money?”

According to him, “We don’t mind dying for our daughter. What was paramount to us on that fateful day was her safety. We have not eaten any food since she was kidnapped. We’re fasting and praying for her release.”

Umejuru, who spoke with our correspondent yesterday at their Epe residence, said his daughter is worth dying for.

Rachel was said to have been abducted by six men. Four among the men scaled the fence of the victim’s building, broke down their door, before snatching her. The men later contacted Rachel’s parents, demanding for N10million ransom.

Recalling the event of the day Rachel was abducted, Umejuru said: “The event of that day has been enshrined in my memory. It left a bad memory for me.  We were all in our different rooms when the armed men stormed into our flat after breaking the door. They came around 2am. They were armed with axes and machetes. They forced their way into our home and took my daughter away.”

Umejuru said: “Four of the men entered our apartment. They didn’t ask for money. They went straight to my daughter’s room, where she was sleeping and ordered her to follow them. They bundled her into their Sienna car, which was parked outside our compound and zoomed off.”

According to him, when the kidnappers were dragging Rachel, she screamed, calling for help. He and his wife couldn’t resist hearkening to the cries of their daughter.

They tried to stop the kidnappers and wrest Rachel, but they received machete cuts.

He noted: “I and her mother tried to stop the kidnappers from taking her away. But soon, my blood was flowing from the injury they inflicted on my head. My wife was also injured. She was injured on the head and other parts of her body. We were rushed to the hospital.

“Three days after she was abducted, I was allowed to speak with her on phone. When I talked to her, she was crying. She begged me to come and take her away from the kidnappers. She said I should give them whatever they wanted.”

When our correspondent visited the victim’s home, some bricklayers were seen fixing the damaged door. Some sympathizers were seen consoling Rachel’s mother, who was weeping.

Umejuru said: “Whenever my daughter is at home, she’s always indoors, operating her laptop. She doesn’t relate with anybody in our area. If not that Caleb University is not in session, she would have been at school; probably this incident would have been prevented. I have been in Epe since 1995; I have not witnessed such an ugly incident.  Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police should help us to rescue our daughter.”

A resident, who simply identified himself as Ahmed, said that the injury on Umejuru was so serious, that he had to be rushed to the nearest hospital.

He added: “Despite Mobile Policemen patrolling the area, kidnappers are still operating freely, abducting residents. Security agencies should rise to tackle this recurring problem in Epe.”

Another resident, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, urged the state government to ensure that top security is placed along Epe axis.

He noted: “Majority of commercial drivers don’t like coming to Epe anymore because kidnappers always lay siege along Molajoye Bridge; this bridge links Epe to other areas. This is where kidnappers operate always, abducting people. We are begging the police and government to focus on this Molajoye Bridge.”