‘$200k was paid for my release’ — Gnewzy recounts ordeal in kidnappers’ den

Goodnews ‘Gnewzy’ Emuemu, the fast-rising singer, has recounted his ordeal in the hands of his abductors.

In April, Gnewzy was abducted along Eklat road in Ughelli, Delta state while heading home from an event.

Eric Many Records, his music label, said Obas9ice, the singer’s manager and brother, “narrowly escaped” the kidnap.

The abductors were said to have contacted Dilly Umenyiora, the record label’s CEO, via mail demanding a $200,000 ransom.

The fast-rising singer was, however, released on May 3.

Narrating his ordeal in a recent interview with HipTV, Gnewzy confirmed that $200,000 was paid to his abductors for his freedom.

The singer also disclosed that his abductors were “dressed in police uniforms”.

“They paid a ransom. It was a ransom of about $200,000. I went on a radio tour of Delta. This is the state where I came from, Ugheli, precisely. After the whole tour, to round it up, it was a Sunday, so I said let me just put up a little listening party,” he said.

“It was Sunday, we all got ready for the party, I performed. We left for the apartment that we were in. After a while, my brother said he wanted to pick somebody up. I was like let me go with you.

“We went to where we wanted to pick the person and the person was no longer willing to follow us. We were going home and around a U-turn, they just ran on us and were like come down. They were putting on police uniforms.

“So we got to one certain point. They stopped and dragged my brother out. He was initially trying to struggle with them but they told him they were going to shoot him. He was told to run into the bush or else they would shoot him.

“We were thinking someone was trying to use me to get to my label boss.

“They then covered my face with something. They took me on Sunday and released me on Friday. They even fed me and did not beat me. They gave me food and told me I should not do anything funny or else they would f**k me up.”