By Ado Oyeyemi
A 21-year-old man, Junior Izuchukwu, has recounted how he was allegedly held captive, starved and repeatedly tortured for nearly three months after refusing to participate in an internet fraud operation he was lured to Enugu State to join.
Izuchukwu’s account emerged after he and two other young men reportedly escaped from a residential building in Enugu where they were allegedly confined under harsh conditions.
The trio, identified as Joseph Ibangwu, Junior Izuchukwu and Miracle Tochukwu, were said to have been recruited from Ebonyi State with promises of legitimate employment opportunities in Enugu.
However, they allegedly found themselves trapped in what residents and rights advocates described as a cybercrime syndicate.
The incident came to public attention on June 11, 2026, when the three victims reportedly fled from a building located within Helius Estate along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and sought help from residents.
Witnesses said the young men appeared emaciated and physically weak, with visible injuries believed to have been sustained during their confinement.
Concerned residents alerted security operatives attached to the estate, leading to the arrest of a suspect who was subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps before the matter was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Enugu State Police Command.
Speaking in a video obtained by our correspondent, Izuchukwu narrated how he was persuaded to travel to Enugu by a commercial motorcycle rider in Ebonyi State who claimed that a friend had opened a new office and was looking for workers.
According to him, transport fare was provided, and upon arrival in Enugu, they were taken to a residence where their supposed employer introduced them to the work he expected them to do.
He said it became clear shortly after their arrival that the job involved internet fraud, a development that left him uncomfortable.
The 21-year-old alleged that when he informed the suspect of his decision to quit and return home after three days, he was told to pay ₦300,000 as reimbursement for feeding expenses before he could leave.
Unable to raise the money, he claimed he was locked inside the house and subjected to repeated assaults.
“He constantly beat us with canes, electric wires, iron rods and other objects.
We were punished for minor issues and denied freedom of movement,” he alleged.
Izuchukwu further claimed that the captives were fed only once daily and were closely monitored through surveillance cameras installed around the building.
He explained that their eventual escape became possible after another captive reportedly discovered a route out of the building and fled. Fearing further danger, he and another victim seized the opportunity to escape as well.
The victims were later taken to a medical facility by residents, where they are currently receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, an Enugu-based human rights organisation, the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, has called on Governor to ensure a thorough investigation and prosecution of all individuals linked to the alleged crime.
In a petition dated June 18, the group described the alleged confinement and torture of the victims as inhumane and a serious violation of human rights.
The organisation urged the government to take decisive action to prevent similar incidents and ensure justice for the victims.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, did not respond to calls or messages seeking clarification on the case.
However, the spokesperson for the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Pamela Chukwu, confirmed the incident but declined to provide further details, directing enquiries to the command’s office.
