My name is ThankGod Okuk , I left for Abuja on Thursday 17th December 2020 in order to attend a friend wedding on Friday and Saturday.
On Sunday 20th I boarded Big Joe transport to Benin city, getting to Ekpoma, the driver told us that he won’t be going to Benin because it was already past seven in the evening, so some of us took our belongings and took a Sienna bus going to Benin. After Ehor, we were attacked by gang of Fulani herdsmen who shot sperodically into the air . After taking all our money and phones from us, the leader of the team then asked us to match into the bush.It was at this time that I knew that it was not just robbery but kidnapping .
After few minuites into the bush, the leader of the gang asked who was the driver of the vehicle , immediately the driver identified himself, he was given a thorough beating then set free to go.
In the process of matching us into the bush with gun shots, one of us who is a pregnant woman fell down and could not move anymore, while they were trying to revive her, one other man escaped into the bush. This made the kidnappers very angry, so they left the pregnant woman to die while we were matched into the forest. We trekked for three hours into the bush , crossed a river and ascended into the hills which took us about twenty minutes to climb and after which we descended into the dish and then the thick forest.
I observed that the kidnappers had a sign of communication and direction inside the forest. I discovered that some rags were tied to some trees in the forest with a sign, once we approach the tree, they will point the torchlight to identify the point that the rag turns to.This happens to be the way and so we moved on and on, using same strategy to find the way. On another instance,once they heard any noise inside the forest, we will be asked to stop while the herdsmen make a sound like that of a herdman to their cow. If there is a same response, it means that it is their colleagues but if no response, then they will start shooting into the bush before commanding us to move on.
There were lots of dead bodies inside the forest with their hands tied to their back .
We trekked for another two hours before getting to their camp which is located inside the heart of the forest .
On our arrival, there was jubilation, the place was filled with dead bodies and then one of them came and started tieing our hands to our back but they never spoke any word to us until the morning .
On Monday morning, the leader of the gang who was being referred to as alAlhaji, came to us after he had made some calls to their boss and then commanded that we been beaten, we were beaten like animals without mercy.
After the beating, we were then asked to call our families for negotiation, anyone whose family did not give positive answer to the Ransome will be beaten seriously, after series of gun shots in the air to put fear in their minds .
When it was my turn, the negotiator picked me up and began flogging me ,then I began to beg him in Hausa language. I was shocked that he stopped and their boss then asked him to remove me among the others, then he asked me if I was from the north since I was bearded but I told him no but that I was born in the north. So because of this, the kidnapper loose the veil that was tied to my eyes and asked me to sit on the ground while others laid on their stomach .
I then called my elder brother.At first, I was scared my brother will not respond positively and there serious beating again. But my brother told the kidnappers that firstly, he had to talk to me and I was given the phone to speak with him. Then he told the negotiator that things were hard but he was going to get them the money and that they should call him back by midday same day.
This conversation made them happy and I wasn’t beaten anymore but the others were seriously dealt with.
After series of negotiations with my brother who was always giving them hope, finally, the Ransom amount was settled but yet to be paid .
I was in the kidnappers’ den for four days without food or water, once in a day, the kidnappers fetched river water then add tramadol inside the cup and gave us to drink or else we will die of hunger.
I poopooed and urinated on my body. In the days that we spent there , the kidnappers Kidnapped passengers twice daily, both women and children, sometimes when they encountered any police escort, they killed the police and made away with his gun and cap and whenever this happens, the person that shot the policeman would be promoted.
Among the 10 of the kidnappers there wa an amourer who services their guns.
They had bags of bullets , different types of guns,including two S.M.G.
Arms and animation litre the ground as they always exchange guns in each operation. This is to say that the guns used in the morning won’t be used in the evening till two days later, because their founder, from the look of things, is highly placed. They don’t eat real food, what they eat is garri soaked in oil with onions and Maggi. They don’t rape their victims but beat their victims to death.
Guns don’t penetrate them, there in the forest, before going out for any operation, they shot at themselves randomly after which the leader brings out a white rag, spread it on the floor and all others will surround the rag and chant their incantations before leaving .
After my elder brother paid the ransom for four of us that night, the leader of the team sent me a message to the Nigerian police. He asked me to tell the police that, they have come for the police and that they would kill all policemen that come their way, because they had taken over Edo state and would soon start a war that would lead to the taking over of the whole state. I promised him I would personally deliver the message to the commissioner of police, Edo state. So four of them walked us into the bush until we got to a village, then they told us to walk into the village and from there find our way since my brother was already waiting to receive us.
Finally, it was freedom at last.
My brother, let us pray for our Land,esan Oye Oye.
(Forward)
