Nigeria, July 26 -- Sometime in February 2025, a criminal gang held Mary Aderemi after she boarded a taxi in Abuja, Nigeria's federal capital.

"Call your boss, call anyone you know to give us money or we will sell or kill you now," Mary recounted a member of the gang yelling.

The incident occurred around 1 pm. Ms Aderemi had entered an ash-coloured Volkswagen taxi around the Churchgate area of the city. She needed to get to her lecture centre early to continue preparing for her accounting certification exam.

The car stopped at different intervals to pick up three other passengers. Unknown to her, these passengers were accomplices of the driver who would later make her go through hell.

"The glasses were wound up as the last person ente...