By Straightnews
Three, out of the eight corps members from Akwa Ibom State, who were kidnapped in Zamfara State on their way for the mandatory one-year national service have recounted their harrowing experiences in their kidnappers’ den.
The victims, before regaining their freedom, stayed between two months and one year in captivity.
Speaking with our correspondent in Akwa Ibom in an interview facilitated by the Founder, Open Forum Care for Humanity Foundation, Matthew Koffi Okono on Wednesday, October 16, the freed corps members (one female and two males) narrated how they were tortured, fed with grasses and drank flood water.
Related news: NYSC: Solomon freed After one year in Kidnappers’ den – NYSC
They thanked governments (Federal and Akwa Ibom State) and the NYSC for interventions and pleaded to be employed in the civil service or have any other rewarding establishments.
Solomon Bassey Daniel- Our place of abode
The place is a forest. It was an open place and there was no shelter. There were only rice sacs which we put on the ground to sleep.
Anytime it rained, we would go under the tree shades for cover until the rains stopped.
All of us, including the kidnappers, stayed there together. They never left us; the only difference was that they held us in captivity and were expecting ransom or money at the end of the day. While we were only expecting our freedom, they used to that kind of lifestyle while we were not. It was a traumatic experience.
Our routine in the forest
Nothing, when I woke up. I just started my own prayers and be sitting down- nowhere to go to, no one to talk to because I was separated from others. Sometimes, they asked me to fetch water and I would go with like three armed guards to get it for them.
At some points, I lost hope of coming out alive but I still believed in God. I believed that one day I’d be released and God did it for me.
How they singled me out and took me to Kaduna
Yes, they singled me (Solomon) out and said I’m the most stubborn of us all. This could be because I told them there was no money. When they contacted my parents, they also told them that there was no money. They threatened to kill one of us so that we would know that they were serious. I was beaten, tortured and forced to eat grass and drink flood water. Before the grass incident, we stayed for three weeks without food and water. I was later chained and transported from Zamfara to Kaduna on motorcycle through bush tracks.
That was around December, I was very sick; for three months, I couldn’t urinate or defecate, I thought I would die. From the torture and beatings, I had a tear on my head and arms. All these marks on my body (showing off the marks) were from there.
There was nothing like medical care. If you complain, they’ll ask you to sit down. I was just there. I wore the same clothes for the one year I stayed with them and bathed like three times.
How the rescue came
As I said, I was separated from my colleagues and taken to Kaduna. So on August 22, 2024, about one year and five days, the military came and I was rescued alive. I want to use this opportunity to deeply thank the Army for their gallantry, President Bola Tinubu, Director-General of NYSC, General Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed, Governor Umo Eno, other security operatives, and well-meaning Nigerians for their efforts in securing our freedom.
Daniel Etim Bassey- How it all happened
“The incident happened on August 17, 2023. It was along Gusau road, Zamfara State. You can’t move at speed because of bad spots on the road. They mounted a road block with logs of wood and we thought it was a checkpoint. Our driver slowed down waiting for them to remove the blockade.
“Unfortunately, the guys came out, some were wearing kaftans; some put on military camouflage and insignia. They were well armed and they marshalled us out into the bush, including the driver. They carried some of our luggages, stripped us of our belongings, but in the process of taking us into the bush, about three persons escaped.
The most traumatic experience in the forest
There were so many traumatic things, but the one that is most traumatic: is it staying in that bush without the sound of anything other than wild animals? I never knew that I would survive it, let alone staying there for several months. We saw snakes, scorpions, even bush dogs. The only thing is that if those bush dogs came, our captors would shoot in the air and they would run and never come back. We killed scorpions, snakes. It was just God that was protecting us there.
Victoria Bassey- My experience while in captivity
Victoria Bassey narrated ‘‘For me, I stayed there for two months. I gained freedom in October 2023. I never believed that I could survive a day in the forest. As my colleague said, for three weeks, there was nothing like food or water until it rained. We were drinking the flood water. So, many of us fell sick. It was horrible. We were kept in a small place and you could not go anywhere.
The issue is that the people you were facing did not even understand your dialect or English language, even pidgin. We were trying as much as possible to use sign language to communicate. Also, there wass a way you would behave. They would think you wanted to escape and that would even earn us severe beating. Even as a lady. I wore only one piece of clothing for two months. Even when you are in your period, you are just there, not moving anywhere to clean up. I can’t remember bathing up to three times before I was rescued.
NYSC gave our discharge certificates
Government facilitated our freedom and when we were eventually released, though different months and dates. NYSC paid us arrears of our monthly allowances and presented us with two options of either to continue with our service year or to start afresh. We chose to continue and not to start afresh having suffered so much in the kidnappers’ den. We all have received our discharge certificates.
