A non-governmental organisation, Behind Bars, has raised the alarm over the welfare and safety of a woman and her children who were recently released by their kidnappers in Delta State.
Mrs. Godwin Anuka and her two children had watched in horror as suspected Fulani herders who kidnapped them in the Ubulu-Uku area of the state, shot dead their bread winner.
The Senior Special Assistant on Civil Society and Youth Mobilisation to the Delta State Governor, Harrison Gwamnishu, had in a Facebook post, revealed how the abductors took the family inside the bush alongside other victims before killing Mr. Anuka.
Gwamnishu had noted that the kidnappers had abducted two persons on March 23 and taken them into the bush while demanding ransom.
He noted that while the kidnappers were hiding in the bush with the two abducted victims, they saw Anuka alongside his wife and two underage children working on their farm.
The SSA noted that the kidnappers proceeded to abduct Anuka and his family and began demanding ransom.
Gwamnishu said, “Mr Godwin Anuka, his wife, and two underage children were kidnapped on March 29, 2025, at their farm in Ubulu-Uku, Delta State. It’s the same five sets of Fulani armed kidnappers that carried out these heinous crimes.
“They kidnapped Chibueze from Ogwashi-Uku, trekked to Ubulu-Uku, and kidnapped Mr Afam. They trekked, crossed the Isah Ogwashi/Ubulu-Uku road to Power Line, and headed to a farm road towards Ani-Uje Ubulu-Uku, where they camped for days and started calling for ransom.
“It was where they camped that they saw Mr Godwin and his family and kidnapped all of them.”
He disclosed that the chairman of the local government mobilised military men to carry out a rescue operation, but after a ransom was paid, the kidnappers released some of the abducted persons, while it was revealed that Anuka was shot dead in the presence of his wife and children.
He wrote, “The Ubulu-Uku Central Vigilante team and the Nigerian Army mobilised by the Aniocha South LGA Chairman, Hon. Pastor Jude Chukwunwike, and the Ubulu-Uku Palace made an effort to rescue them.
“Yesterday, after a huge ransom was paid, the kidnappers released Chibueze, Mr Afam, late Godwin’s wife, and two children, and we were told that Mr Godwin was shot and killed right inside the farm in the presence of his wife and children.”
Gwamnishu, who had decried the rise in kidnappings in some parts of the state allegedly perpetrated by some Fulani herders, heads an NGO in the state, Behind Bars.
In another post, he said the bereaved family needed assistance as they could no longer access their farmland owing to fear.
He revealed plans to visit the family and offer them financial assistance, calling on other well spirited Nigerians to come to their aid “as they have stopped farming due to their tragic loss.”
“For those who recommended assisting the children, I think this is a suitable time to provide help if you are led to do so.
“Their late father was a farmer, and their mother is also a farmer. They depend on the farm for survival, which they can no longer access,” he said.
