Veteran broadcast journalist, Omike Matthew, popularly known as Ojay Matthew, has narrated how he narrowly escaped a suspected kidnap attempt in Birnin Kebbi last Tuesday night.
Matthew, who anchors news on radio and television, confirmed the incident in a statement explaining his recent absence from social media. He said the attack occurred shortly after he stepped out of his official accommodation to watch a Champions League match, something he had routinely done without incident.
According to him, he opted to return home on a commercial motorcycle due to the lateness of the hour. However, during the ride, another motorcycle carrying two unidentified men intercepted them suddenly. The unexpected obstruction forced his rider into an emergency maneuver that caused both of them to fall to the ground.
Matthew said he immediately fled into a nearby bush as the men advanced toward him. “Instinct took over. I ran with all the strength I had,” he recounted. He said the assailants pursued him into the dark, but he managed to hide for nearly two and a half hours before finding a safe route out.
The broadcaster said he has been unable to confirm what became of the commercial rider, despite efforts to trace reports of a missing person or stolen motorcycle in the area. He expressed hope that the rider was unharmed, though some colleagues have suggested the possibility of a targeted attack.
Upon returning home, Matthew’s management team rushed him to the hospital for medical evaluation. He stated that he is still recovering from the physical and emotional impact of the incident but remains grateful that he was not abducted.
“This could have ended differently,” he said, attributing his survival to divine intervention. He added that the traumatic experience accounted for his silence on social media over the past week.
Matthew called on his well-wishers to join him in thanking God for what he described as a miraculous escape.
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