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We Were Fed Grasses, Flood Water – Abducted Corps Members Reveal

Published

3 months ago

October 18, 2024

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

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 Daily Post in Akwa Ibom in an interview facilitated by the Founder, Open Forum Care for Humanity Foundation, Matthew Koffi Okono on Thursday, the freed corps members (one female and two males) narrated how they were tortured, fed with grasses and drank flood water.

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.

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 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 is 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 are used to that kind of lifestyle while we are not. It was a traumatic experience

There are so many that I don’t know 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 come, our captors will shoot in the air and they will run and never come back. We’ve killed scorpions, snakes. It was just God that was protecting us there.

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 to pay for my ransom and 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.

Nothing, when I wake up, I’ll just start my own prayer 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 will go with like three armed guards to get it for them.

At some point, I lost hope of coming out alive but I still believed in God. I believed that one day I’ll be released and God did it for me.

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

Lady shares experience while in captivity

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 can’t go anywhere.

The issue is that the people you were facing don’t even understand your dialect or English language, even pidgin. We were trying as much as possible to use sign language to communicate. Also, there’s a way you will 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.

News

Enugu projects: You’re a good thinker, we can go places together – Tinubu tells Gov Mbah

Published

4 seconds ago

January 5, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

President Bola Tinubu has commended the Enugu State governor, Mr Peter Mbah over massive infrastructural projects in the state.

Tinubu arrived in Enugu State on Saturday on a working visit to unveil various projects by the state government.

The president, while commending the governor, said: “You’re a good thinker, Mbah. You’re my friend. We can go places together, building Nigeria, building the future, using technology to build and promote investment.

“We must encourage the private sector to come into politics.”

Special Assistant on Social Media to President Tinubu, Dada Olusegun, disclosed this in a series of posts on X, Saturday.

Dada wrote, “President Bola Tinubu touched down at the Enugu airport on a working visit to commission various projects by the state government.

“He was received by Peter Mbah, the Executive Governor of Enugu State.

“President Bola Tinubu commissions the 135K road in Enugu Metropolis. PBAT says infrastructure is the backbone of development, congratulates Enugu Governor.”

Addressing Mbah during the event, Tinubu was quoted as saying, “Enugu is achieving great heights. Building our tomorrow, today. A leader like Governor Peter Mbah placing Enugu on the path of 21st-century development.

“You’re a good thinker, Mbah. You’re my friend. We can go places together. Building Nigeria. Building the future. Use technology to build. Promote investment. We must encourage the private sector to come into politics.”

News

Sinners, corrupt leaders, false prophets others Won’t Escape God’s Judgement, GKS declares

Published

9 minutes ago

January 5, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The God’s Kingdom Society (GKS) worldwide has rounded-off the 2024 Christian activities of the Church with the Christian Feast of Tabernacles.

Addressing the large turn-out of the Feast celebrants and invited guests during the ‘Last and Great Day Holy Convocation’ at St. Urhobo Square, Headquarters of GKS Warri, Delta State, the GKS president, Brother Felix Ekundayo Adedokun said that sinners, corrupt leaders, false prophets, cultists, kidnappers, perpetrators of evil and wars won’t escape God’s judgement unless they repent.

Brother Adedokun further said that God appointed judges in those days with a purpose to ensure peaceful co-existence, unity and stability of the nation of Israel, but people continue to pervert justice thereby creating more problems for mankind.

He noted that nearly all parts of the world have been engulfed with crisis, wars, chaotic situations, poor leadership, greed and wickedness.

Brother Adedokun stated that when our Lord Jesus Christ was on earth, He made it clear that God has committed all judgement to him, adding that he who rejected the Word of God and continues in evil way shall be condemned on the last day.

He disclosed that God has set up ‘His Kingdom Organizations’ in different parts of the world for the purpose of pronouncing the judgement of God on the nations as well to execute judgement upon the heathen and punishment upon the people.

In his message, “Why Judgement And Purgation Are Much More Necessary in the Service of God” the GKS president warns all those who have been called to serve in His Holy Organization in this age should be serious with the work lest they suffer dire consequences for judgement must begin in the House of God.

According to him “The judgement is purely spiritual and is unlike what obtains in the courts of the world. Those who hear the truth and are obedient to the Word of God until the end will receive favourable judgement from God. But those who do not believe the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness will be damned, as they will receive adverse judgement. He shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth.”

He affirmed that the Last Day refers to the last period of Satan’s existence on earth following the enthronement of our Lord Jesus Christ as King of God’s Kingdom and the Devil and all his agents of unrighteousness will be destroyed.

“Any Church Organization where there is no judgement based on the truth, is not a true Church. The true Church therefore must warn, condemn and expose those given to sin: fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, and abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexual), thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, and extortions among others.”

“The true Church will oppose the works of the flesh which St. Paul said include adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying and such likes must be made clear that those who indulge in such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God” he added.

The GKS president urged those entrusted with administration of the Kingdom in this age must work hard to maintain their stand against the devil and his hosts, adding that God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time for every purpose and every work.

The GKS president who quoted several bible passages said that man must be ready to promote peaceful co-existence, love, good work, help fellow men that are in need and Christians should give themselves to righteousness and things that uplift their fellow men in any organization they belong.

He stated that Christians should ensure they seek things that will promote the name of God and His Church, instead of getting entangled in talebearing, rumour mongering, false witnessing, corruption, cultism, treachery and all such likes vices should repent and do the will of God at all times.

The eight days Christian festival featured various spiritually-filled bible lectures by the GKS ministers, while the GKS faithful were entertained with various Christian music including choral dances from GKS different branches during the festival period attended by over 100 branches of the Church.

News

Borno offers farmers subsidised petrol, sells at N600/litre

Published

10 minutes ago

January 5, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno State says his administration will now subsidise petrol so that it sells at N600/litre to farmers in the state.

The governor made the announcement on Friday during a ceremony for farmers aimed at distributing farming equipment to them.

Reiterating his announcement, in a statement on Saturday, Abdurrahman Bundi, media aide to Zulum said, “The initiative is aimed to alleviate the financial burdens faced by farmers in communities that have suffered economic and infrastructural destruction due to years of conflict.”

Bundi said the state will procure petrol and sell at the subsidised rate to farmers. “One of the major challenges that are facing the farming communities here as regards irrigation farming is the increasing cost of fuel.”

He revealed the intention of Borno State to procure petroleum products and sell to farmers at a subsidised rate, in order to ease the input costs of farmers.

“As a result, I want to announce to the general public that the government will procure petroleum products and sell to the farmers at a subsidised rate,” he said.

According to him, a litre of petrol which is being sold in Maiduguri at the rate of about N1,200, will henceforth be sold for N600/litre for irrigation farmers in Borno this season.

Bundi noted that the governor distributed farm materials, including 2,000 bags of blended NPK fertiliser, 1,000 units of water pumps, and 620 units of gasoline pumps to farmers.

Also, other materials like 380 units of solar water pumps, 1,000 units of sprayers, 800 rolls of 2-inch flexible hose, and 1,000 litres of pesticides and seeds were distributed to farmers in the state.