Afro pop singer from Nigeria, Emuemu Oghala Goodnews, widely known as Gnewzy, recently unveiled the sum handed over for his freedom from captivity.
Gnewzy was abducted in April 2024 along Eklat road in Ughelli, Delta state, as reported by NewsNow. Fortunately, his manager and brother, Obas9ice, managed to narrowly escape the abduction.
The abductors reached out to Dilly Umenyiora, the CEO of his record label, via email, demanding a ransom of $200,000.
The singer regained his freedom on May 3.
During an interview with HipTV, Gnewzy recounted his harrowing experience, sharing that $200,000 was paid to secure his release.
He also mentioned that the individuals who held him captive were disguised in police attire.
“The ransom paid was approximately $200,000. I had just finished a radio tour in Delta State, my home state, specifically Ugheli. Following the tour, we decided to wrap it up with a small listening party.
“After the performance at the party, as we were returning to our apartment, my brother mentioned that he needed to meet someone. I offered to accompany him.
“While trying to pick up the person, they declined to go with us. As we were heading back, at a U-turn, individuals in police uniforms suddenly intercepted us and ordered us to exit the vehicle.
“At a certain point, they halted, pulled my brother out, and threatened to shoot him. He was instructed to flee into the bushes or face the consequences.
“Initially, we suspected someone was using me to reach out to my label boss.
“They proceeded to cover my face with an item. Surprisingly, they refrained from physical violence. They provided me with food and warned me against any suspicious actions, threatening severe repercussions if I disobeyed.”