A Nigerian man has abandoned his house in Agbor, Delta State, following the traumatic kidnapping of his two brothers by suspected herdsmen. According to the man, who shared his ordeal on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the kidnappers struck in his community and abducted his brothers in separate attacks, forcing him to vacate the area out of fear for his safety and that of his remaining family members. He also claimed that the police advised him to pay a ransom to secure the release of his brothers, further deepening his sense of helplessness.
In a video that has since gone viral, the man is seen visibly distressed, lamenting his situation while filming the house he once lived in. He described how he had no choice but to abandon the property due to the worsening security situation and the constant threat posed by the kidnappers, who he claims still operate freely in the region.
Speaking in the video, he explained how the kidnappers had not only taken his brothers but also forced them to trek through the dense bush in the area. He lamented that despite reporting the matter to the police, the only advice he received was to pay the ransom while the authorities carried out their investigations. The man expressed deep concern over the lack of adequate security measures in the area, noting that the criminals seem to have better knowledge of the terrain than even the locals.
His statement: “See my house, I abandoned it because of the kidnapping in my area. They’ve kidnapped my two brothers. The first time they came, they took both of them, and now they’ve come again. Thank God the area is developing, and the bush is being cleared.”
“We went to the police, and they told us to pay the ransom while they investigate.”
“There are houses in the area, but from around 6 p.m., you’re not safe. They know every road in Agbor, even the places I don’t know.”
“They took my brothers and made them trek through the bush.”
The emotional video sparked widespread reactions from Nigerians online, with many expressing concern over the growing insecurity and the perceived inaction of security agencies. Several commenters highlighted how the increasing threat of kidnapping has pushed citizens to consider arming themselves in self-defense.
See some reactions below:
@olusholaspecia: “You have been told by DSS that you should defend yourself before the police will come and defend you. Let’s be honest with ourselves: the Nigerian police cannot defend you against terrorists.”
@RowlandJ_nior: “Kidnappers are brazen. Electric fence is not enough deterrence if they really want to get you.”
@lifeinsolace: “They tell us to pay ransom to the kidnappers offline, but online they say don’t pay ransom. At this pace, I think everyone should be armed because those fulanis are all armed.”
@MezieAbia: “Any security agency that advises you to go and pay ransom to kidnappers is obviously part of the syndicate. This is why victims of kidnapping in Nigeria barely get rescued by the police, they always end up paying ransoms to the kidnappers before they get released.”
@hardly1x1seen: “Fulani wey go trek from Maiduguri come Abuja come kidnap person, still trek go back Maiduguri. Lol dey play…na dem sabi road pass.”
@kotosiaface17: “How can you have money to build this type of house in this lonely place and you don’t have pump action?”
@TPeperenpe: “I call them sleeper cells, waiting to be activated. The shoemaker, the iron bender that passes your house, all of them know all the nooks and crannies of our town. They are sleeper cells waiting to be activated, God help us.”
WATCH VIDEO:
“Fulani hêrdsmen knw everywhere in our area more than us. Even when they k!dnapped people, if you report to the Nigeria police, they will tell you to go and pay rånsom first”🧎😳
-Man cries out as he abåndons his house after hêrdsmen k!dnåpped his two brothers in Agbor, Delta… pic.twitter.com/k4Az1hO1Lx
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) April 9, 2025