She took a deep breath before answering, “Chioma, my aunt has been kidnapped.”
The words hung in the air like a heavy cloud, and I struggled to process the gravity of the situation. Kidnappings were not unheard of in our city, but they were always something that happened to other people, distant stories on the news.
“What? When? Where?” I began, bombarding her with questions as I tried to understand the details.
Ugochi explained that it had happened earlier that afternoon when her aunt, who ran a successful business, had been abducted as she was leaving her office. The kidnappers had left behind a chilling note demanding a substantial ransom for her safe release.
I felt a surge of anger and helplessness. Ugochi and her family were good people, and this act of violence against them was unfathomable. “Have you informed the police?” I asked.
“Yes, we have,” Ugochi replied. “But Chioma, we’re all so scared, and we don’t know what to do. We can’t afford the ransom. They’re asking for 50 million naira.”
I knew that Ugochi’s family was not wealthy, and the amount the kidnappers were demanding would be an impossible burden. We talked for a while longer, and I reassured Ugochi that I would do everything I could to help.
As the days turned into weeks, the situation remained hopeless. Ugochi was already beginning to develop regular panic attacks. A panic attack is a sudden feeling of intense fear that triggers serious physical reactions, when in reality, there is no real danger or obvious cause for panic. Major stress such as traumatic events like what Ugochi was going through can increase risk for developing a panic attack. When you’re having a panic attack, you may experience symptoms like your heart beating fast, sweating, trembling, chest pain, headaches or a feeling of impending danger. The good news is that panic attacks can be managed with psychotherapy (talking with a psychologist) and taking certain drugs.
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The kidnappers had not budged on their demands, and Ugochi’s aunt’s life was at stake, they remained elusive, and the negotiations dragged on.
As time passed, Ugochi’s family was beginning to lose hope, David came up with an idea which he shared with us. He explained how he had a friend in the police force, ASP Grace, who could assist with the kidnapping case saying that her reputation as a high-ranked officer was known throughout the department, and she had a track record of successfully handling such situations.
ASP Grace convinced Ugochi’s family to pay the ransom, so that it would serve as bait for the kidnappers. The plan was simple: the family would meet the kidnappers at the designated location, hand over the ransom, and, with ASP Grace and her team strategically positioned nearby, the police would apprehend the criminals. Ugochi’s family agreed. The next time the kidnappers called, Ugochi’s Uncle told them that he was ready to pay the amount they were asking. A time and date was agreed upon,for a meeting at an uncompleted building on the outskirts of town.
The night for payment of the ransome finally arrived. David offered to accompany Ugochi’s uncle to present the ransom to the kidnappers, while I and Ugochi insisted on coming along for support. We stayed back in the car, parked at a safe distance, where we could watch the exchange unfold.
The kidnappers were punctual,they arrived exactly at the agreed time. There were two of them dressed in what seemed to be black clothing and wearing masks to hide their identity.
Ugochi’s uncle was visibly shaken at the sight of the kidnappers,he was trembling as he handed the bag over to the lead kidnapper. He took the ransom and inspected it cautiously. There was an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of crickets in the distance.
Suddenly, another sound could be heard from a distance, it was the sound of feet shuffling on dry leaves. “Is there someone else? You said you would come with just one person” the lead kidnapper shouted angrily. Before Ugochi’s uncle could respond, the shuffling sound began again.
Taking no chances,the lead kidnapper suddenly pulled a gun from beneath his jacket. In the blink of an eye, a series of gunshots could be heard.
Ugochi and I immediately bent down to avoid being hit by any bullets. I was beginning to panic knowing that David and her uncle were still out there, I slowly crept up to see if they were okay.
I saw David dive for cover behind a nearby tree, clutching his side. Bullets whizzed through the air, snapping branches and sending leaves scattering like confetti. The sound of gunfire was deafening.
The kidnappers had spotted the police and had now unleashed a barrage of bullets towards their direction. ASP Grace’s voice could be heard, as she coordinated her team’s counterattack.
I continued to peep through the car window, I became increasingly worried as I watched everything unfold. I could no longer see David or Ugochi’s uncle. Ugochi remained behind the seat of the car, crouching as low as she possibly could, it looked as though she was trying her best to disappear into the car mat.
Suddenly, I saw a figure of a man crawling from behind the trees and clutching his side. It seemed as though he was badly injured. At that moment I realised that the man was coming from behind the same tree that David had gone to take cover. I cringed at the thought of David being hurt. It had become increasingly darker than when we arrived, the pitch darkness made it difficult to confirm whether or not it was David. The man began groaning in pain as he drew closer, it was then I realised that it was David. Suddenly he stopped crawling and lay flat on the ground like he was lifeless, it was difficult to tell if he was still alive.
The shoot out was still happening, I was torn between, risking my life to try to save him or staying back in the safety of the car. My heart continued to pound in my chest as I weighed my options, “To go or not to go?” was the question that kept ringing in my ears as I watched the worst night of my life unfold.
Find out what happens next tomorrow in episode 11 #checkwithdoctoro