A 14-year-old Benue girl, Mirabel David, has narrated how she was kidnapped by five unknown men in Abakaliki, Ebonyi and taken to Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The teenager was rescued by Ebonyi State Police Command after she escaped from captivity and ran into a bush.
The State police commissioner, Augustina Ogbodo, made this known on Thursday, September 28, 2023, when members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) paid a courtesy to his Office.
The CP who spoke through the command spokesperson, SP Onome Ononovwakpoyeye, told journalists that Ms. David was abducted a few days ago within the Abakaliki metropolis by unknown men when she went to purchase some items.
“We have with us here one Miss Mirabel David an SS1 student of Children of Light School, Benue state who came on a visit with the Mother to Abakaliki a fortnight ago,” the PPRO stated.
“She was kidnapped last week Monday by unknown persons and was taken to Igboekwurekwu in Abi local government area, Cross River state. She said that she went to buy something when these people accosted her and waved a handkerchief at her and she fell unconscious and got herself in Cross River state.
“She said that her captives always locked her in a room but on this faithful day she was able to escape and ran into the bush and came out to a road where she met three young men and one of them assisted her by carrying her on his bike to Abaomege were there is Military checkpoint
” It was there that the military handed her over to the safer Higher Way police, and that was how they took her to the nearest police division. It was from there that they brought her to the police headquarters in Abakaliki
“Right now, the plan is to hand her over to the patron of the Tiv community in Ebonyi state, DSP Mchiaymu Apevershigh Rtd to help us locate the parents and feed us back.”
Narrating her ordeal, Mirabel David said, “My Mum sent me to buy beans, as I went out about five persons accosted me, flung a handkerchief on me and I became unconscious. They carried me in a car, and when I woke up I saw myself in a room, they locked me there, and they did not allow me to go out,”
“On Monday morning they all went out but the last person that left did not lock the door I now used the opportunity to escape. When I got to the road I went to the Military checkpoint and they took me to the DPO there. They called one of them who is from my place to take care of me he now brought me to the Police Headquarters Abakaliki
“I’m not sure they raped me but when I gained consciousness, I did not experience anything of such. All I knew they did was beat me when they noticed that I could understand their language
“They were speaking the Hausa language I responded, they asked if I was from Igala and could understand I said no, but when they spoke I responded it was at that point that they slapped me
“They were saying that they would keep me in their custody till they asked for ransom on my head, but one of them said no that they should allow me to go but the other four refused
“I’m from Logo local government, Benue state. The name of my Daddy is Bayoga David, he is popularly known as David but my mother’s name is Grace, and her native name is Hussein,”
Supol Mchiaymu Apevershigh, who received the girl from police custody thanked the police and promised to reunite the girl with her family
“I retired from the Abaomege division. The Tiv people are here in their numbers, we have an association and we live peacefully, I am their leader. We have been assisting the police in cases like this, this is about the first time we have had issues like this. We will make sure to reunite her with the parents in Benue State and report back to the office,” he said.
