Nicholas Kollias and Ani Okeke Ewo Interview
Nicholas Kollias and Ani Okeke Ewo, two University of Rochester football players who thought they were attending a house party when they instead found themselves tied up and beaten for over 40 hours before police SWAT teams came to rescue them. Now these seniors are speaking out publicly about their ordeal as well as how they managed to escape their captors.
Kollias from Northbrook, Illinois and Ewo from Fort Wayne, Indiana first became suspicious after meeting two women they had been conversing with online and receiving invitations from them for gatherings at houses throughout their cities – only for it all to turn out differently when Kollias and Ewo were abducted!
Police were quickly alerted when one of their phones pinged, prompting an intensive search and rescue effort by officers in Kevlar vests who stormed Harvest Street home where students were being held captive and freed them, including Kollias who had been shot in his leg.
Rochester Police Chief Michael Ciminelli explained in a press conference that four suspects remain at large but now face multiple charges, such as kidnapping, gang assault, sexual assault and weapons possession. Last year a jury found Lydell Strickland, David Alcarez-Ubiles, Inalia Rolldan and Ruth Lora guilty of the brutal kidnapping and torture scheme.
The nine defendants allegedly attacked and abused their victims with bats, pipes, knives, chainsaws and other tools as well as assaulting and raping them.
Some of those accused have already pleaded guilty, while others remain at large. Lydell Strickland was found guilty for kidnapping and torturing students in this incident and sentenced to 155 years.
Ciminelli spoke about how this incident will have an effect on his community, noting his goal to ensure people in it feel safer and more connected to it. He believes the incident will ultimately strengthen connections among residents while increasing security overall.
The incident also reminded him of Eddie Okeke, a religious leader in Nawgu, Anambra State Nigeria who was abducted and killed in 2000 by members of Bakassi Boys vigilante group in Nawgu. Nearly 20 years later, these groups are still active, leading to ongoing concerns. Although it remains unknown if the Bakassi Boys operate with government approval, they have been linked to several attacks against residents in the area. Targeting traders, businesspeople and members of society who do not adhere to their strict social and religious regulations. They have also been accused of robbery, rape and other crimes against civilians in the region. Although the group claims it defends against criminals and extortioners, victims and their families claim the group abused and exploited them instead.