The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Idemili Community Bank Osora Emeh, who was Friday night abducted by hoodlums has escaped from his abductors.

Emeh was reportedly abducted at his Nnobi country home when he was returning from Nnobi Junction where he went to purchase some food items.

According to Emeh, the hood­lums also abducted two other persons along the road, among who was a woman, as they drove to a place called Uruala, in Imo State

“I went to the Nnobi Junction to buy some food items. I found I was short of money. So, I decided to go back I left home at 8.23 pm.

“The incident happened about 9. pm when I was return­ing from the Junction, right in front of my gate,” Emeh said.

Sources said the hoodlums came with two jeeps and fired shots into the air to scare people away when they reached the community bank boss’ Ababa house at Umuhai, Awuda Nnobi, on Friday night.

“They were five men in num­ber. I was about to alight from my vehicle when they rushed at my car. I alighted and beat them, then struggled and freed myself from their grip.

“I ran, but fell into a ditch. It was then that they got me and tied me with a rope. Then, they bundled me into one of their cars. They shot the tire and broke the wind screen of my jeep.”

On how he was treated and later escaped, Emeh said the abductors, who had two pump action rifles, beat him, heat the nozzle of their guns on his legs, while they forced him to unlock his phone to transfer money into their account.

“I refused to unlock the phone. I had two phones. They contin­ued to hit me with the guns. When they reached Uruala, they turned back to drop the woman at Akokwa.

“They tried to shoot me, but the gun could not fire. They said I have Ogboni in me. I said what­ever it is let it be.

“The woman had transferred the money in her account into theirs. It was later that I knew that the place was Akokwa.

“So, as they stopped and went to drop the woman, one thing led to the other and I jumped out of the vehicle.”

They shot at me, but they could not get me. I ran as far as my legs could carry me. Then, I heard some voices in front. I fol­lowed the voices.

“It was the voices of cho­risters doing night vigil in a Church. So, I went inside the Church and did night vigil with them. It was there I knew I was in Akokwa. I came back this morning.”

Emeh, who had bruises all over his hands and legs said that his people lodged a report at the Nnobi po­lice station, adding that he would also make another report at the Nnobi police station and at the police headquarters in Awka.

When contacted earlier be­fore seeing the victim, the PPRO, Ikenga Tochukwu, said he had not got the report.

“I don’t have such a report. Where was it reported, please,” he said. (Sunday Independent: Text, excluding headline)