It reportedly cost the Popular Anambra native doctor, hag Chidozie Nwangwu, otherwise known as Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki, a whooping sum of N350m to be set free by his kidnapper, Theliberationnews have gathered.
It was learnt that the popular witch doctor, regarded as one of the richest men in his Oba community in Idemili South Local Government Area, was released on Saturday morning after 6 days with the kidnappers.
An indigene of the town who confirmed the release said: “Akwa Okuko was released very early this morning (Saturday) and he is still celebrating with his friends and well wishers in his house in Oba. His friends rallied round and raised the money for the abductors.”
Police PPRO, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said: “Yes, he was released this morning. We are waiting to debrief him with a view to getting his experience and clue of who the abductors were, so that we can go after them.”
Nwangwu, however, declined to confirm if a ransom was paid and the location the release transpired.
Recall that Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki was kidnapped in one of his hotels in Oba last Sunday, while two of his personal aides were killed.
Speaking after he was released, the witch doctor said, “What really happened was that I was there (at home) that day, at around 11:30am, when someone called me and said they 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 later, gunshots rented the air. People started running helter-skelter. I now went out to see what was 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 only two things can save a man. If your charms do not 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 would 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 were clean. What I did was to save many souls. If you think they took me because I ate people’s money, let me tell you I did not. If I eat your money, come to me I will give you money because I have money.”
“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,” he said.
