The abductors of a traditional ruler, Goodluck Umetor, in Ndele community, in Emohua LGA of Rivers State, have released him after inflicting machete cuts on him and collecting N1m ransom.

Chief Umetor was whisked away by the hoodlums at gunpoint to an unknown destination on Monday evening, just after the bandits had killed two persons in the community.

Umetor said the kidnappers used a machete to cut all part of his body. He added that the criminals also took his ATM cards and withdrew huge sums of money.

He said,

“The gunmen took me on a journey inside a deep forest. They blindfolded and dragged me.

We trekked about 60 kilometres before we arrived their base. They said they were hired to assassinate me, but, later, they changed their mind to collect ransom and free me. They inflicted machete cuts on my head, back and other parts of my body.

They collected all my four ATM cards and sent somebody to go and withdraw money from my account before collecting N1 million again from my family. They warned me that I should not block the accounts that they will be withdrawing money at will.

They said if I block the accounts that they will come after me again. They also threatened to kill me if I try to give their identity to anyone.”

However, the state’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni, said that the identities of the hoodlums involved in the kidnap have been uncovered.