Paul Idehen survived five days in captivity after armed gunmen stormed his wife's pharmacy shop in Benin City. He recounted his ordeal while authorities paraded one of the suspects involved in the abduction.
Marvelous Isaac, 32, was presented at police headquarters on Thursday. Edo State Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika oversaw the parade in the presence of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Idehen was seized on April 23, 2026, around 9 p.m. at his wife's pharmacy opposite Ekehuan Army Barracks. Gunfire erupted outside the shop as the gang forced their way in.
"I saw somebody wearing a red mask enter the shop," Idehen told reporters. "That's when I knew they were coming for me."
He wanted to escape but couldn't leave his wife and children behind. "There was no way out," he explained to journalists at the command headquarters.
Isaac rushed into the shop demanding to know his location. The suspect then reached into Idehen's trouser pocket and grabbed his car keys.
Gunmen shoved Idehen into the vehicle and forced him to the back seat. One assailant held a knife to his throat, threatening to kill him if he resisted.
His family watched helplessly as the gang drove away with him that night. The abductors navigated through bushland for hours, driving roughly through rough terrain.
They eventually stopped to rest, planning to resume their journey at 2 a.m. Idehen waited in fear during this period.
When they resumed movement, the gang drove deeper into the forest. After about 30 minutes at another location, the driver left to scout the area.
The kidnappers took him to a secluded spot behind a community. "It wasn't even a thick forest," Idehen noted during his account.
For five grueling days, the gang held him in that hideout. They tormented him relentlessly and threatened to execute him if his family didn't pay.
Surprisingly, a woman was part of the kidnapping gang. She was particularly vicious toward Idehen during his detention.
"She was very hostile to me," he said, describing her behavior. "She was angry that the others weren't beating me."
One of his guards intervened on his behalf. According to Idehen, this man told her he had been cooperative and hadn't caused trouble.
The gang eventually demanded N5.5 million in ransom. They also took his wedding ring and his Lexus SUV as collateral.
Idehen was released on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. He survived the five-day kidnapping and has since given his account to law enforcement.
The arrest of Isaac represents progress in the investigation. Police say they're pursuing leads on other members of the gang.
