Actress and skit maker Stephanie Isuma, popularly known as Calabar Chic, has revealed the emotional and physical trauma she endured after being kidnapped by armed herdsmen. She also spoke about her past battles with depression and two suicide attempts, saying her survival feels nothing short of a miracle.
Stephanie was on her way back to Lagos from the East after attending a funeral when the attack happened near the Benin bypass. According to her, a group of armed men ambushed her car and dragged her and a friend into the forest. “I thought it was robbery, but it turned out they were kidnappers. They told us clearly—pay ransom or die,” she said.
She spent five days in the kidnappers’ den, sleeping on bare ground with insects crawling over her, under the constant threat of violence. “We were starving and thirsty. We didn’t get any water until the third day—and it was dirty,” she recalled. “One time, they placed my fingers on a tree and said they would chop them off. I thought that was the end.”
The kidnappers were armed herdsmen dressed like cattle rearers but carrying heavy weapons. Stephanie described the experience as terrifying and said her family worked hard to raise money for her release. After paying the ransom, she and her friend were set free and had to walk a long distance back to the main road.
Beyond the physical ordeal, Stephanie opened up about her mental health struggles, including dealing with depression and questioning her purpose in life. “There were days I didn’t want to wake up,” she said. “I felt like I had no reason to keep going. But somehow, I didn’t fully give up on myself.”
She credits her recovery to the support of friends and family who stood by her through her darkest times. Their love and encouragement helped her find strength again.
Now focused on her career in comedy and acting, Calabar Chic says she believes she survived for a reason and wants her story to inspire others facing tough battles. “I’m here for something greater,” she said. “I still believe that.”
