They Told Us that Alhaji Asked them to Bring Two Girls, With Particular Names-Kidnap Victim

A survivor of multiple abduction attempts in Abuja, Licia Modey, has shared her harrowing experiences with criminal gangs popularly known as “one chance” operators, revealing how she narrowly escaped death on three separate occasions.

Speaking during an interview with Lucky Udu on Monday, September 29 2025, Modey recalled one of her most terrifying encounters when armed men in a taxi threatened to abduct her and her colleagues after work.

According to her, the kidnappers explicitly stated that they were under instructions to deliver young women to a powerful figure.

“The guy said Alhaji asked them to bring two girls. They even mentioned names,” she recounted. “They looked at us and said, ‘I think you and you.’ But when they didn’t find the exact girls they were asked to bring, they kept arguing on what to do with us.”

Modey said that while her colleagues were overwhelmed with fear, she remained unusually calm, even continuing to eat a snack she had bought before boarding the vehicle. She revealed that the gang eventually robbed them of cash and phones, but later abandoned them instead of proceeding with their original plan.

“They searched my bag, took my salary, and collected my colleague’s phones. But when they realized we weren’t the exact targets, one of them insisted they drop us off,” she narrated. “Surprisingly, they even gave me ₦2,000 for transport, saying they were students just hustling to pay their rent.”

Her testimony underscores growing concerns that Abuja’s “one chance” syndicates may not be limited to petty robbery but are linked to organized trafficking networks with specific demands for women.

Now 29, the single mother from Cross River State said she has since adjusted her lifestyle, avoiding late-night taxis and relying more on ride-hailing services and motorcycles for safety. She urged Abuja residents, especially newcomers, to always record or share vehicle plate numbers before entering public transport.

Modey’s revelation about kidnappers claiming to act on instructions from an “Alhaji” raises urgent questions for law enforcement, as it suggests a coordinated demand-driven operation rather than random acts of robbery.