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Famous Anambra native doctor Chidozie Nwangwu, also known as “Akwa Okuko Tiwaraki,” has claimed that he had the means to stop the kidnapping but choose not to.

Last Sunday, Nwangwu was taken hostage and then freed early on Saturday.

He claimed that after his two bodyguards were dead, he voluntarily surrendered to his captors in order to save further losses.

He said, “What really happened was that I was there (at home) that day, at around 11:30am, when someone called me and said they were at my hotel, and that they were spending money, and had spent close to N300,000, and that they would have wanted me to be around.

“I obliged them and drove to the hotel all by myself, in my new car. No one came with me. I was there, and not up to 30 minutes later, gunshots rented the air. People started running helter-skelter. I now went out to see what was happening, and the people started shooting at me.

“They killed two of my security men. I don’t want to reveal much now, but I know that only two things can save a man. If your charms do not save you, your money will save you.

“Anyone who has charms should have money. So the people took me into their car. If I wanted to run away, I would have run away, but I have seen those that were shot and I said if I leave, they would kill many people. A lot of people were lying down, and if I wanted to leave, they would have killed many.

“The story too would have been that the whole thing started when I came in, meaning that I was the one who brought in kidnappers. I decided to follow them to show that my hands were clean. What I did was to save many souls. If you think they took me because I ate people’s money, let me tell you I did not. If I eat your money, come to me I will give you money because I have money.”

The native doctor also revealed that his ordeal was not unconnected with the sit-at-home exercise in the South-East region.

“This whole thing is related to this sit-at-home people, and they mentioned names of more people they will take, but it’s not something I can say now. They killed many in front of me. They killed up to 20 people before me. I did not take anyone’s money, they just came to kidnap and their target is people who have money. They wanted to kidnap as many as 50 people from my hotel that day, but I rather followed them,” he said.

Niger Army spokesman Colonel Amadou Adramane speaks during an appearance on national television, after President Mohamed Bazoum was held in the presidential palace.

Niger military officers announced early Thursday that they had taken over power from President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been in detention since the early hours of Wednesday.

The soldiers announced the coup in televised broadcast in the early hours of Thursday.

In the broadcast, 10 senior officers said the National Council of the State Guard of the Nation had decided to “put an end to the regime you are familiar with”.

They claimed to have seized power because of deteriorating security situation as well as bad social and economic management.

“We reaffirm our support to all commitment undertaken by Niger,” the soldiers said.

They had earlier cordoned off office and residence of Bazoum with military vehicles.

Crowds had taken to the streets of the capital city, Niamey, in support of the president, but soldiers fired shots to disperse them.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had intervened by sending the President of Benin, Patrice Talon, to the country.

Talon proceeded after meeting with President Bola Tinubu, ECOWAS Chairman, in Abuja.

Tinubu had earlier condemned the development, warning that the regional body, as well as the global community, would not condone disruption of constitutional order within the sub-region.