It was an emotional reunion with the family in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State on Sunday as Joshua Jessa, a kidnapping victim who was reportedly abducted by yet-to-be-identified kidnappers, ‘miraculously’ escaped from his captors and rejoined his family.
PUNCH Online gathered that Jessa, who was kidnapped last Wednesday, escaped from the kidnappers’ den on Sunday evening.
The victim’s father, Chief Jessa Harrison, the Chief Executive Officer of Jessa Global Limited, could not hide his joy as he embraced his son, describing his son’s ordeal in the kidnappers’ den as “a miraculous escape.”
Harrison, in a Facebook post, narrated how his son, Joshua Jessa, was kidnapped last Wednesday but regained his freedom on Sunday evening.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday night, he disclosed that his son “was kidnapped by two armed men who whisked him into the bush on Wednesday before he ‘miraculously’ escaped from the abductors on Sunday.”
“God released my son. I did not pay one naira,” the highly elated father said.
It was gathered that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N50 million but, after much negotiation, reduced it to N6 million.
Further reports indicated that the money was to be paid on Sunday evening before the victim’s escape.
The father continued, “My boy ran from the kidnappers to Kokori, from where he called me.
“I thought it was a joke. We then went in search of him. I took him to Eku for treatment before bringing him home.”
Chief Jessa, however, expressed concern over what he described as the lukewarm response of the police in the community to his complaint about his son’s abduction.
“I was only joined by my younger brother, who is the SSA on Security to the Governor, and vigilante members in the search for the boy after receiving his call that he had escaped,” he stated.
The Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, could not be reached for comment on the incident at the time of filing this report.