Detained for Refusing Yahoo Work: 21-Year-Old Narrates Enugu Ordeal

A 21-year-old, Junior Izuchukwu, has detailed his harrowing experience of being allegedly held captive, starved, and subjected to torture for approximately three months. This ordeal reportedly began after he declined to engage in a cybercrime operation, commonly referred to as 'yahoo', for which he was initially lured to Enugu State. His account surfaced following the successful escape of three young men, including himself, who were reportedly held against their will in deplorable conditions within a residential property in Enugu.

According to reports, the victims – Joseph Ibangwu, Izuchukwu, and Miracle Tochukwu – were enticed from Ebonyi State under the guise of legitimate job opportunities in Enugu. However, upon arrival, they found themselves ensnared in what locals and human rights advocates have labeled a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate. The incident came to light on June 11, 2026, when the trio managed to escape from a house situated within Helius Estate, along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, and sought assistance from nearby residents.

Eyewitnesses from the estate described the escapees as severely malnourished, physically frail, and bearing various wounds and scars, which they claimed were inflicted during their period of captivity. Concerned by their state, residents promptly alerted the estate's security personnel. Subsequently, a suspect was apprehended and handed over to officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who later transferred the case to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Enugu State Police Command.

In a video recording obtained by our correspondent on Friday, Izuchukwu recounted the recruitment process. "I am 21 years old. I was born on July 27, 2004. One guy, who rides okada in Ebonyi State, called me and said one of his friends was looking for people to work for him in a new office he opened in Enugu. He gave us transport money. When we got to Shoprite around 8:00pm, we called him, and he came to pick us up," he explained. Upon reaching the suspect's residence, Izuchukwu stated, "When we got to his house, he brought out a laptop and asked me whether I knew what it was. I said yes. He then asked whether I knew what it was used for, and I said no. He told me that it was the laptop I would use to work for him."

Izuchukwu revealed that their hopes for a genuine job quickly dissipated. He added that within three days of expressing his unwillingness to continue with the cybercrime activities and requesting to return home, the situation escalated into violence. "He beat me up for unnecessary things. I told him I was no longer interested in the work and wanted to go home. But he said before I could leave, I must pay him ₦300,000 for the food he had given me for the three days," Izuchukwu narrated. "I told him I didn’t have that kind of money, so he locked everywhere and said I would remain in the house until I paid. Since that day, he kept beating us with mop sticks, canes, electric wires and iron rods—anything he could lay his hands on."

Izuchukwu further alleged that the perpetrator, identified simply as "Ejioba," provided the captives with only one meal daily, consisting of plain white rice, and continuously monitored their movements using surveillance cameras installed throughout the premises. Their escape became feasible, he said, after another captive named Daniel discovered an exit upstairs and jumped from the building. Fearing the suspect would detect Daniel's escape via the cameras and return, Izuchukwu and Joseph also seized the moment to flee, ending their alleged months-long captivity. The victims are currently receiving medical attention at a facility where residents rushed them following the incident.

Meanwhile, the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRAN), an Enugu-based human rights organization, has submitted a petition to Governor Peter Mbah. The petition, dated June 18, 2026, and signed by its President, Olu Omotayo, urges immediate intervention and the prosecution of all individuals implicated. The group condemned the alleged three-month confinement as barbaric and a severe crime against humanity. "We condemn this barbaric act of hostage-taking in all ramifications. We urge you to take necessary action in respect of this matter as the circumstances demand and ensure the prosecution of all the criminals involved in this barbarity. This is a heinous crime. We cannot allow our society to degenerate into an animal kingdom where the rule of the jungle prevails,” the statement read.

Attempts to get an official response from the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, did not answer calls or reply to text messages. However, Pamela Chukwu, the spokesperson for the Enugu State Command of the NSCDC, confirmed the incident but declined to provide specific details over the phone, stating, “I can’t start giving you that information on the phone. I need to see you in person. I need to be sure I’m talking to the right person. If you want to have it, you come to the office, you can get every information you need about the incident here.”