How camouflage-wearing gunmen kidnapped us on Lagos-Ibadan road

22-year-old Aminat Taiwo was one of the lucky victims that left the hideout of the Lagos-Ibadan kidnappers alive. While some were killed, Aminat and her friend, Tobi Orekoya were freed on Sunday evening after a N3.2m ransom was paid. In this interview with SODIQ OJUROUNGBE, she narrated the horrible experience she went through in the hands of the kidnappers clad in security uniforms

How did you become a victim and how can you describe the experience?

It was really a horrible experience for me. There was no traffic on the road and it was not night. We were on our way to Ibadan when we discovered that kidnappers had laid an ambush for vehicles passing around that period along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. They ordered us to lie down and started shooting sporadically.

Some people who wanted to escape were hit by bullets. It was terrible and not a good experience at all, but all thanks to God.

The incident happened around 5 pm on Friday.

I was coming from Abeokuta to attend a friend’s wedding in Ibadan when we were attacked. We boarded a Sienna space van from Panseke Park; we were eight in the vehicle. Our vehicle passed through the Isiun-Ogere road to link the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

How many people were kidnapped and where were you kept?

Three of us from our vehicle were kidnapped, the other victims were from other vehicles. Many people fell victim. Some people in their private cars were also attacked and some people escaped in the midnight when we were being taken into a deep forest.

The kidnappers were more than 30, they covered their faces. They wore soldiers and police uniforms.

They were armed to the teeth; they have guns, swords, knives and other dangerous weapons.

On our way, they asked us to lie down. They collected all our money and phones. They collected gold chains, wristwatches, and other pieces of jewellery.

We were moving in the bush for several hours; they did not give us water or food. We were licking water on leaves inside the forest.

For the two days I spent with them, we were moving around the forest, we don’t stay too long in one place before they move us to another place.

They did not have a house or anywhere to hide us. We sleep wherever the night meets us; we were sleeping inside the forest for two days. Some of us will sleep on trees, while others will sleep on the grass.

Any attempt to escape?

We can’t attempt to escape because since two guys escaped on the first night, they changed their strategy. They always surround us, so, there is no way we can make any attempt.

We used to hear the voices of people because most of the places we were sleeping belong to farmers. We saw cassava, maize, and other plantations inside the forest.

When our abductors discovered that we are hearing the voices of neighbouring villagers, they will move us to another place.

Do you know the identity of your abductors?

Yes, they were Hausas but they understand and speak Yoruba fluently. Many of them are young, some can’t be more than 15 or 16 years old. They were carrying guns like AK 47.

They were speaking Yoruba, but they are Hausas. They don’t understand any other language apart from Yoruba and Hausa. If they hear us speak English, they will beat us.

How were you treated?

We were really maltreated; they beat the hell out of us. The men suffered the most because they put ropes around their necks and were dragging them around.

I was not really maltreated because when I told them my name is Aminat, they said: “you are a Muslim, and we are worshipping the same, Allah.”

We were over 20 that were kidnapped and some were even killed inside the forest.

Will you ever take the Lagos-Ibadan road again or embark on long-distance travel on road?

I can never pass through that road again in my life. Even if I want to go for my NYSC, I won’t go by road. I will rather take the plane to any location I am posted to. Government needs to help us do something about that road.

How many people remained with them after your ransom was paid?

I can’t say but I know we left a lot of people there; they only released those that paid.

Many people were injured, some were shot in the head, and there was no one to treat them.

They did not give us any food or water. The kidnappers didn’t eat as well, all they ate was raw cassava, they will just uproot it, peel it and eat it like that.

Policeman advised me to negotiate with kidnappers — Victim’s father

Kayode Taiwo, the father of Aminat Taiwo who was kidnapped and released along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway spoke to SODIQ OJUROUNGBE about how he was able to secure the release of his daughter after paying the ransom.

How did you hear about the kidnapping of your daughter and what did you do?

It was around 10 pm on Friday that Aminat’s sister rushed to inform me that she received a call that her sister was kidnapped.

Immediately she told me that, we started calling her number but she was not picking up. After about an hour, we called the number again but it was picked up by a Hausa man this time.

(Punch)