A renowned Anambra state-born native doctor, Mr Chidozie Nwangwu, alias Akwa Akụkọ Tiwaraki has reportedly regained his freedom from abductors after six days in captivity.
Nwangwu was kidnapped on Sunday July 23, 2023 at his hometown, Oba in Idemili North Local Government Area (LGA), when abductors came to his palatial hotel and equally killed two of his aides.
The Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed his release, explained that he regained his freedom on Saturday morning.
“Yes, he has been released this morning. We are waiting to debrief him, with a view to getting his experience and clue of who the abductors are, so that we can go after them,” Ikenga stated.
He, however, kept mum when asked to confirm if ransom was paid to his abductors as alleged by some of the supporters of Akwa ọkụkọ Tiwaraki.
Sources had claimed that his abductors demanded for N300million before he could be released.
“His friends rallied round and raised the money for the abductors, but they demanded for additional N50million, which was also delivered to them, before he was released,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Nwangwu had equally addressed his supporters.
He claimed, “Let me tell you all what happened. While I was in the kidnappers den, I listened to radio and saw how people were speaking all kinds of rubbish, so I decided to set the record straight.
“What really happened was that I was there (at home) that day, at around 11:30, when someone named Okey Japan called me and said there were at my hotel, and that they were spending money, and had spent close to N300,000, and that they would have wanted me to be around.
“I obliged them and drove to the hotel all by myself, in my new car. No one came with me. I was there, and not up to 30 minutes, gunshot rented the air. People started running helter skelter. I now went out to see what what happening, and the people started shooting at me.
“They killed two of my security men. I don’t want to reveal much now, but I know that two things can only save a man. If your charms doesn’t save you, your money will save you.
“Anyone who has charms should have money. So the people took me into their car. If I wanted to run away, I would have run away, but I have seen those that were shot, and I said if I leave, they will kill many people. A lot of people were lying down, and if I wanted to leave, they would have killed many.
“The story too would have been that the whole thing started when I came in, meaning that I was the one who brought in kidnappers. I decided to follow them to show that my hands are clean. What I did was to save many souls. If you think they took me because I ate people’s money, but let me tell you I did not. If I eat your money, come to me I will give you money because I have money.
“People may be rejoicing that it happened to me, but let me tell you, if the death that killed the rich, encounters the poor, it will crush him.
“This whole thing is related to this sit at home people, and they mentioned names of more people they will take, but it’s not something I can say now. They killed many in front of me. They killed up to 20 people before me. I did not take anyone’s money, they just came to kidnap and their target is people who have money. They wanted to kidnap as many as 50 people from my hotel that day, but I rather followed them.”
