Kidnappers beat us, fed us garri with dirty water — Rescued corps member

A rescued prospective corps member abducted in Imo State has recounted how kidnappers allegedly beat their captives with guns and fists and forced them to survive on dry garri and dirty water during seven days in captivity.

The survivor, one of 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) abducted on October 1, disclosed this in an interview with BBC Pidgin published on Monday.

The victim said the kidnappers allowed them to call their families but punished anyone whose conversation angered them.

“We were given phone to call our families. And if any family say anything wey dem no wan hear, or any rubbish wey go fit make dem angry, we will be beaten. That person will be beaten, use the gun to hit the person,” the survivor said.

The abductee added that the male victims were frequently assaulted, while the kidnappers appeared more reluctant to beat the women.

“Sometimes dem go use dia hand to punch dem, mostly the guys. Dem still dey fear small to beat woman,” the survivor said.

The 20 prospective corps members were abducted while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The attack occurred around 6:30am along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area, when gunmen reportedly attacked two buses conveying the travellers.

According to the survivor, the group had departed at about 9am and made several stops before reaching Onitsha, where the driver informed them that they would spend the night.

The passengers had earlier urged the driver to continue the journey when they arrived in Ore, hoping to avoid delays. However, the driver reportedly explained that they needed to rest in Onitsha because the next leg of the journey could be dangerous.

The survivor said they informed their families about the overnight stop and went to sleep, unaware of what awaited them.

“When I wake up, that na when the incident happen,” the victim said.

The abductees were taken to a forest and held at a location before being moved deeper into unfamiliar terrain.

“I bin no know how we take reach the forest where dem keep us for sometime, before we continue our journey to a deep-deep-deep forest that I don’t know how,” the survivor recounted.

Describing the conditions in captivity, the victim said the kidnappers gave them dry garri and muddy water, leaving them with little choice but to consume what was available.

“What we are eating there is just garri, like eba garri, dry garri with mud water, very dirty water that, hmm, I can’t even fit give my enemy that water, but we bin no get choice, we gatz take am for survival,” the survivor said.

The ordeal left the victim shocked and struggling to comprehend the situation.

“I can’t express how I feel because I bin no fit cry, I just dey look and I was lost. I don’t know what to do, e bin look like movie, I bin no believe say that kain tin happen to me,” the survivor said.

The kidnappers reportedly demanded N50m for each captive before the ransom demand was later reduced.

During the search for the victims, the police said security operatives had located the kidnappers’ hideout through drone surveillance but encountered difficulties accessing the area because of suspected improvised explosive devices planted around the camp.

Security agencies subsequently intensified search-and-rescue efforts, deploying additional personnel and equipment.

The 20 prospective corps members were rescued on October 7, seven days after their abduction, in a joint operation involving security agencies. They were taken for medical examination and treatment after their release.

The survivor credited the Department of State Services with the rescue, saying, “The government, na di DSS rescue us.”

The police had earlier confirmed the rescue of the prospective corps members, while efforts to track down their abductors continued.

In a separate report, the freed graduates were said to have been offered postings in the South-West.