A Nigerian pastor has gone viral after recounting his shocking exchange with kidnappers who abducted one of his church members and demanded five brand-new motorcycles, each reportedly worth ₦2 million.
The pastor, identified as Gideon Odoma, shared the story on X (formerly Twitter), drawing massive reactions amid the rising wave of banditry across the country.
Pastor Questions Outrageous Ransom Demand
In his post, Odoma revealed that the kidnappers contacted them shortly after abducting the church member, insisting on receiving five new high-cost motorcycles in exchange for the victim’s release.
According to him, he immediately instructed the negotiator to deliver a pointed message back to the abductors.
His blunt response quickly went viral.
He wrote:
“Trademark. This is the same bike they demanded from us last month when they kidnapped one of our members. Each bike costs over ₦2m, and the evil monsters were demanding five. Five bikes!!!”
His Message to the Kidnappers
Odoma explained that he told the negotiator to ask the abductors a simple but powerful question:
“If the brother’s family could afford that kind of ransom, would he even be inside the public vehicle where they kidnapped him? People with such money don’t travel those roads as passengers. Five bikes, how!?”
He added:
“Nigeria! See, this is not how to be a nation.”
Public Reactions Trail Pastor’s Post
The pastor’s statement triggered thousands of reactions online as Nigerians expressed anger, shock, and concern over the increasing boldness of bandits.
@anasuachara wrote:
“Greed and cruelty reveal the heart of evil. No demand can justify harming innocent people.”
@Olufreebies commented:
“Something isn’t right in the North. Community members must be enabling these criminals. How do so many bikes operate undetected?”
@realElTam added:
“These aren’t peace talks. They’re negotiations for influence and power — and the men with guns always win.”
@Towncraya questioned security lapses:
“Why can’t intelligence agencies supply the bikes with trackers and take out the bandits after the hostage is released?”
@nnamdiahukanna noted:
“Those bikes are built for rough terrain — they glide through bushes like fish in water.”
Others used the moment to criticize government responses and compare the situation to rising insecurity across regions.
In Related Incidents
This comes weeks after a viral video showed a family’s phone call with bandits who kidnapped their father, and another report from a Kwara nursing student who shared footage of a bandit attack outside her church.
Nigeria continues to grapple with increasing levels of insecurity, with citizens calling for stronger action from authorities.
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