Kidnapped Web Developer Narrates Ordeal, Seeks Arrest Of Perpetrators

Franklyn Onoaghakpote, a 23-year-old Electrical Engineer and website developer, on Sunday, in Benin City, Edo State capital, narrated his harrowing ordeal in the hands of some suspected kidnappers in Benin, led by one Michael, Nigerian Tribune reports.

Onoaghakpote, in a petition addressed to the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Philip Ogbadu, and dated February 11, 2022, with the title: “A case of Conspiracy and Kidnapping Against one Michael and Others”, said valuables worth N20m were lost to the suspected kidnappers, who tortured him for hours.

Narrating his near-death encounter with his abductors, the web designer said that he was beaten and abducted to a popular hotel and lounge along Okhoro Street in Benin City, where he was brutalised for several hours.

“The fact of the matter is that I am into web development. I own a programming company called FJM Creative Developer World.

“On the 10th of February 2022, the said Michal requested to see me concerning a website I developed for him two years ago but when I got there I waited. Only for him to appear with about twenty boys who abducted me with guns.

“They blindfolded me, tied my hands and took me to an uncompleted building where they started beating me and forcefully took valuables from me.”

“Among the items are Samsung S21 Ultra with IMEI No: 350299944273493/352817864273496, iPhone 6. They collected my bank transfer PIN and transferred the sum of N4,900,000.00, (four million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) from my GT Bank Account to a Polaris Bank Account, $15,000 worth of bitcoin, gold necklace and hand chain.

“They took me to a river, stripped me naked and started beating me again. After the beating, they blindfolded me again, took me to a room where I was kept for seven hours and were calling my parents for a ransom of N16 million and that if my parents refused to pay the money they will kill me.

“They put a call to their father who they claimed is military man, who ordered them to shoot my legs but they ended up hitting my legs with planks before I was released to go at about 2.30 am of 11th February 2022,” Onoaghakpote narrated.

When contacted, the Edo Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bello Kontongs, confirmed the report and said he was expecting a detailed briefing from the Anti-Kidnapping Department of the Command.

The PPRO, however, added that three persons had been arrested in connection with the matter.