Nigeria: Man kidnapped by Blackmailers who claim he’s gay
Kidnapping victim shows the marks on his arms where he was tied up. (Photos courtesy of NoStrings)
A Nigerian man was kidnapped this past weekend, blackmailed, accused of homosexuality and released after he paid a ransom.
The kidnapping happened around noon on Saturday, July 2, at No.2 Afam Road Oyigbo, Rivers State, Nigeria.
The victim, here called Prince, told NoStrings that he was picked up by his abductor after several chats with him on Facebook. NoStrings is an online enterprise that advocates on behalf of LGBTIQ Nigerians through information, news articles, podcasts, commentaries and more.
Prince said: “We connected on Facebook, he was acting all nice, and later invited me to visit him at Oyigbo, where he stays, but I refused.”
After several failed attempts by his abductor to get him over to his place, Prince said he suggested that they meet at artillery junction in Port Harcourt.
“He came driving a scrappy-looking car, and told me that I had nothing to fear. I was heading to the market at Oyigbo, so he told me that he could drop me at the market. I hopped into his car,” Prince said.
His abductor drove him straight to somewhere around Afam Road in Oyigbo. Upon their arrival, he was slapped and dragged out of the car into a building that was under construction, where other men tied him up and beat him, accused him homosexuality, and threatened him with prosecution under Nigeria’s anti-gay law.
Bobby Petroleum Station, Location Road, Oyigbo, Rivers State, Nigeria. (Photo courtesy of NoStrings)
The abductors took his ATM card and used it to clear out his bank account, a total of about 286,000 naira (US $1,000), although Prince did not realize what was happening at the time. After beating him repeatedly, they told him to call someone to send them 50,000 naira (US $175) for his ransom. In fear and frustration, he called a friend and asked him to withdraw 50,000 using the friend’s ATM card, but the the kidnappers then demanded that the ATM card be brought to them instead.
“They said that I should ask my friend to drop the ATM card somewhere at Location Road, Oyigbo, at a petrol station called Bobby Petroleum. They were holding sticks and metals. They said if the card did not arrive at the location, they would kill me,” Prince said.
After 24 hours in captivity, the victim was released at about noon on Sunday, July 3. He then went to block his stolen ATM card, upon which he discovered that everything in his bank account had been withdrawn.
Hope Aguah, identified as one of the kidnappers. (Photos from Facebook)
Working with NoStrings, Prince identified one of the kidnappers as Hope Aguah, who has a Facebook account under the name Almond Softkid.
NoStrings therefore warns people to be very careful, as the country’s anti-gay law is now being used by criminals to commit all sorts of crimes. That’s one of the results of hate laws: They criminalize people who are not criminals, while the real criminals remain at large.
We ask security agencies in Nigeria to investigate and arrest these criminals who take the law into their own hands.
This is shameful! Caution is the word for LGBT people in Nigeria where criminality under the guise of homophobia is now the order of the day. Tragic! The police will never bother with an investigation. I can wager my starvation wage salary on that.
So after I warned this boy. He still have the gods to report this stuff. Well we have evidence against him. He wanted to rape my friend. We did not beat him or touch his ATM. Does he even have 280k. I done tire for this lies self. Homosexual you guys can lie ehhhhhhhhhh. Na which kind of lies be this? I go kill person oooooo. I hate lies about me.
Kindly return back the cash that you collected. It will do you a lot of good. Having your information on here has exposed you and serve as a criminal record for you. You have been doing this for long, even from manjam.com.
There is an already existing official report filed against you already.
What a pity in ur life.
Every Set up was a hit back to back. From Manjam.com to Facebook.from…lolzzz. U gays are funny. I pity you guys. Criminal record for Criminals. Lolzzzzzz. Homosexuality is against the law.
Do you homosexuals have money???? Guy go rest jare no vex me before I come for u…u ds pH boy. We even sabi the cyber cafe way u dey go self. No try me at all oooo. I go injure u ooooo. Lolozzzzz
Yansh no dey pain una….stupid creatures.
Its funny to u and u laf abt it,but u should no many ppl around pH,delta,bayelsa, Benin,akwai ibom,cross rivers, Lagos every where have heard of ur deed.days a criminal and devilish behave which backfire cos u will soon meet your end if u don’t repent.I saw ur post in whatsapp group with ur name ur detail.
Mtchewwww.Whatsapp group way I dey with una.lolzzzzzz.
Shameless creatures.
Wow wow wow, 1st off, I sympathize with the victim, I’ve had several encounters with this idiot and he sounds so caring, loving and convincing buh my instinct (which has never failed me) kept telling me nt 2 ever visit him
Lemme nw tell U d story!it’s a long one tho #laffs
I’ve been frnds with this guy on manjam since whn I was in 200L (2014) despite d distance (I sch in one of d North-Central Universities buh have lotta relatives in PH whr I do spend my long vac).We proceeded to BBM,whatsapp and phonecalls thereafter. I was due for intern last year and seeing that PH is a very good place to secure IT placement, I told dis idiot(who told me he’s Richard by name and works with intels) and he said I shld come straight to his place immediately I get to PH before proceeding to my uncle’s place but fortunately for me (and unfortunately 4 him) I got 2 PH late(arnd 10pm) and my uncle was already waiting 4 me with his car @ d park! So I quickly sent him an sms apologizing for my inability to make it and promised to see him d nxt day (which was a saturday)after my placement eggzam with a company @ OGFZA!!! I 4got 2 add d@ he called all thru d journey. Another disappointment happened as I started occured dah day cos we finished d eggzam and interview @ abt 5pm, then my uncle took me to his office (in d same area:onne) and we eventually got home arnd 8pm,so I couldn’t go out again! I again told d idiot I’ll be coming d following Wednesday buh my instinct insisted I shld only see him after doing sum investigations! So I feigned sickness on phone on dah Wednesday and told him I’ll come whn I fully recover….he was so angry (like I made him stay bck instead of going to work etc), I sha went ahead wif my pleas as usual. I started invetigation….I wanted to send his pic to PP(of http://www.kitodiaries.com) to help me do sum findings buh later resolved to tell a frnd to add him up, ask few questions. Fortunately 4 him, everything he told dah 1 tallied wif wah he told me and he even told d frnd he isn’t interested (which made me believe he’s madly in love wif me like he claimed). Even @ d@, my instinct resisted all moves to meet him (even whn he promised to secure my placement with intels, I told him I’ll go straight to d office wif my doc, so we could meet there). At sum point, I stopped all forms of communication btwn us, got attached to a Chinese company and returned bck to my home state after spending 7 solid months in PH (5th June – 27th Dec 2015) The numerous pix of his d@ I had then were dashing and inviting
Now fast forward to 2016, I was due to another hol in PH, so I was planning to use d opportunity of a long vac to get attached 4 a 2nd internship (I’m a final Engineering student). So, earlier b4 my resolution to go 2 PH, he buzzed me whatsapp re-introducing himself with same bio-data except d age and location( dah was whn I saw dis pic as his Prf pic….haggard looking). I asked wht he was doing in Delta (knowing fully well d@ he resides in PH), he said he was supervising his Aunt’s site(construction building) and so he’ll return to PH by May ( which coincided wif whn my hol wld commence), so I promised to see him whn I get 2 PH (which I really meant this time, cos I felt I’ve punished him for no offence). I contacted lotta frnds in PH (Mike Deamon inclusive) to help wif intern placement. I made necessary preparations for my PH trip telling every1 I wanna go there 4 my 2nd IT. Fortunately for me(I’ve always been #BigGrin), a N3bn world class library is being constructed in my school buh they don’t take IT students in d company handling it. Whn I mailed our VC abt my planned trip and d purpose (we are that close….d@’s a story 4 another day). He (d VC) insisted I train under d company, gave me a covering letter and I was asked to commence training d following day wif a juicy remuneration. Kia, I told every1 I’m no longer interested in d PH trip (except d idiot up there). If I had gone 2 PH, I would ve been d victim aswell
I really thank God for his mercy upon my life, like to say I’m so happy he’s exposed is an understatement…….Every1 shld pls be wary of those “extra loving/caring” guyz and please always follow Ur instinct! @ 1st, I thought twas my village pple dah followed me to PH so d@ I wouldn’t get favoured buh then I knw my instinct will never fail me! I seriously sympathize with d victim…….I can imagine how convincing and re-assuring he sounded. I was convinced aswell!!!
Na God deh punish you idiot return his money,,, wat arrogants after all that you did him u deh hungry go fynd work not to steal other people money dont you have hands mxaaaaaaaaaaaa ……Ashawo thief thief
Yes!
We are arresting gays.
Mtchewwwwww. I am watching you gays. Another maga dey come tomorrow and this time around he will bleed.
See,d prince guy has been dealt wit I personally made sure that he was caught and beaten with cool bruises and scars that would last for a lifetime.he was lucky he did die.he played a friend and attempted that on me.luckily I was on d look out and me n my boys gave him d beating of his life.I don’t think he wud ever recover
Served!
He’s still on track oh…with a different contact entirely!!!
I believe U kappy…….After sharing his story here, he still kept in touch and was still acting all normal till I got a whatsapp msg frm his number which says:
[4:11PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: you are hereby advised that this contact engages in kidnapping and extortion from innocent victims. He operates around Oyigbo, Igbo Etche and environs. He is currently on the run. You are warned.
[5:41PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: most people that received the first message are still asking stupid questions. Investigation has shown that he lures homosexual to his gang. it is not my business if you fall victim. A word is enough for the wise.
[5:43PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: that is him but he will be caught soon.
[5:47PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: most maybe wondering why I am doing this
[5:50PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: I was kidnapped by his gang but was lucky to escape with the help of neighbors. This phone was left behind and I took it.
[5:51PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: His plan was to use his gang to extort me even though I have known him for a long time
[5:53PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: Going through this phone, I found out he visits websites for men and get them to visit him
[5:54PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: Also in the phone, there are recordings of victims
[5:55PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: be wise, I have done my bit for humanity
[5:56PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: If you doubt, go pay a visit. Have a nice day
[6:01PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: most of you want to get to know me but that is not necessary. Just take it that your God has saved you from a snare
[6:01PM, 7/13/2016] PH Richie: He will be caught and dealt with, be rest assured.
Good! Most of these criminals are idiots who think they are smart. The Idiot himself is probably Gay. Just yet to admit it to himself. I wish pictures of the fool were taken and can be posted here.
Dude must have deactivated his account, becos that Facebook link doesn’t lead to any active profile.
Really? The facebook had an active profile at the point of posting this post! He must have deactivated that particular account
This is the current profile of the fraudster, watch out for him guys…You can always thank God for saving you from a snare. His new name is Richard Lawson
https://www.facebook.com/rose.daniels.1612
Thanks for the awareness but what can we do to this guy? I’m really pissed he’s still actively “kitoing” our people!