MAJOR ASOYA RETURNS, LOSES FINGER TO KIDNAPPERS

Wife, Lizzy too

Major Asoya and wife on their return with sympathisers

Sunday December 15, 2013 was a happy day for the Asoya Household as the patriarch of the family, Major Azum Asoya, rtd, who was abducted by kidnappers returned with his wife even though they came back with out one finger each.

Details of the kidnap which has puzzled many are emerging. According to reliable family sources, the octogenarian was ferried away in a Toyota Camry by three armed gun men from Ogbe-Ozoma where the service of songs was being organised for the late Mrs. Rebecca Nwanze. 

Impeccable sources said the old soldier, who is also the  chairman of the community's Vigilance group was beaten and pushed into the waiting get away vehicle by one of the kidnappers while his wife was arrested by the other. The third was busy shooting into the air to scare away the crowd of mourners.

Still shooting into the air the abductors fled away through Obodogba from where the journey into the unknown began for the civil war hero and his wife. The journey which lasted over an hour ended up in a thick forest in a God-knows where territory. Information getting to us shows that they may have been taken to Edo State but no one, not even the victims are sure where the forest that was for them a home for 16 days is located. 

EXPERIENCE IN THE JUNGLE

In the forest, husband and wife were fed with one gala sausage roll daily which was shared for them and washed down with water. In the last days of their detention, they were fed with a scant dish of rice. 

There was no bed nor roof over their heads as they were made to sleep on a mat on the bare floor. In that open place, there was no protection from the rain that fell six times  during their captivity. 

CUT FINGERS

Four days into their capture, the couple had their fingers cut. Their fingers were cut because they said the family was not making enough efforts to pay the N30million ransom they demanded. They therefore cut the fingers, parceled them and deposited same in front of the police station at Okpanam before putting a call to the children of Major Asoya to go there and pick the amputated phalanges. The fingers have since been deposited with the Police for preservation.

GLOBAL PRAYER FOR RELEASE
We understand that there were prayers organised all over the world for the safety of the couple. Friends and relatives joined the family in the fervent prayers that resulted in the softening of the captors hearts and eventual release.