A female boxer and gym trainer from Guwahati in Assam is reportedly being kept captive by her ‘social media friend’ in Nigeria. The victim identified as Barnali Baurah Saikia suddenly went to Nigeria on 28 October to meet a Nigerian man she met online through her husband. However, she had no contact with her family for the next three days. She did, however, manage to contact her family on the fourth day and let them know about her predicament.
She has been abducted by her social media friend, a young man named King and his aide Daniel. Her family said that they have received ransom calls from the Nigerian man, after which they have filed an FIR with the police.
Bornali’s husband, Nayan Saikia, introduced her and family members to the Nigerian youth who identified himself as King about six months back on social media. He came to know the family well. Barnali and King grew close to each other through chats and video calls after that. As their intimacy increased over time, she made the decision to meet him in Nigeria by flying there on a tourist visa. After suddenly deciding to meet him, Barnali Saikia packed her bags and travelled to the faraway country on 28th October, taking a flight to Lagos from Bengaluru.
However, this wasn’t a happy encounter between the ‘friends’ as he snatched away her visa, passport and cash after he came to receive her at the airport in the Nigerian city of Lagos. She was then held captive by King and Daniel, and could not contact her family members for three days.
Fortunately, she somehow managed to contact her family members on the fourth day of captivity through a WhatsApp call, seeking their help in order to secure her release from her abductors. She said that she had been kept captive in a room, and she was not being given enough food to eat.
In the meanwhile, King called the family members, asking for ransom in exchange for her release. He called her parents demanding ransom with threats. After that, the family filed an FIR with the police.
“On October 28 my mother went to Bangalore to Lagos in Nigeria along with my father’s acquaintance. It was all fine in the beginning but in the last few days she has not been given food and basically, she has been abducted,” informed the victim’s daughter. Furthermore, she mentioned that her mother left on a 14-day visa on 28 October. Her tourist visa has already expired.
Her family has filed a formal complaint with the Dispur Police station and stated that Barnali Baurah Saikia was not allowed to reach the airport by King despite having a return ticket booked by her husband on 13 November at 10:45 pm.
The family has also contacted the Delhi crime branch for additional assistance to ensure their daughter returns home safely. Her husband Nayan Saikia said that he has sought the help of Indian authorities to intervene for the safe release of his wife from King and Daniel, two abductors.
Her husband Nayan Saikia said that initially Barnali was kept at a hotel, and later she was shifted to a room. He said that he has already transferred around ₹5.5-6 lakh to King, but his wife has not been released.
Apart from being a boxer, Barnali Baruah Saikia is a certified coach and works as a trainer at the leading gym in Guwahati.