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.
Very early on the second day, I went to the Mowe police station to report the case; they asked me to bring money that they want to embark on tracking, I gave them money. After they tracked whatever they were tracking, they gave me a paper to take to Owode police station. When I got to Owode police station, the DPO said he cannot collect the paper from me because it is not in his jurisdiction. He said I should go back and give it to the police officer in Mowe and that they should be the ones to bring it to him.
I discovered that the Police were not ready to do anything. People suggested I go to Amotekun but when I got to them, they said they cannot do anything without the go-ahead from the Mowe DPO.
At that point, I gave up on the police and started praying that the kidnappers should call and discuss how to pay them.
The kidnapper called me on Saturday night and I heard my daughter’s voice begging me to look for money that I should not allow them to kill her because they were killing people at the place.
The man demanded that I should look for N10m but I told him I don’t have such an amount of money, and he cut the call.
Around 6 am on Sunday, my daughter called me again crying, I told her that all I can raise is N2m.
After some time, the man called me back and told me that we should bring the N2m to Ibadan. I asked him where, and he said when I get to Ibadan by 2 pm, he will call me.
When we started posting about the fundraising, someone called me and said he will borrow me 3,000 dollars. The person gave me the 3,000 dollars, I was happy that everything has been sorted but when I got to the Aboki where I was supposed to change the money, I discovered that it was fake.
We started afresh, we started looking for money, sourcing for money, and with assistance from Nigerians, friends and family, I was able to raise the N2m before 2 pm.
How do you meet the kidnappers?
I got to Tollgate Ibadan and called the man, he asked me to come back to Onigarri. I went back to Onigarri but they asked me to turn and come back to Ibadan. I did this about two times before they asked me to wait for them around Dominion University. They asked if I am with Police, and I told them I did not bring anybody except my younger brother.
I waited for them around Dominion University for more than 30 minutes before they called me and asked if I can come to them. I told them I can come so far it is to save my daughter. They asked me to turn back at the front of Dominion University and I saw them putting on soldiers’ uniforms. They were about 10 and I was able to see the chained victims from afar.
They asked how much I brought, and I told them it was N3.2m, they asked if it was complete, and I told them it was.
Your view on Nigeria’s security apparatus?
There is no security in Nigeria at all. None of the police officers that I went to meet was able to assist me. One of the bosses told me that I should just negotiate with them and insist on N2m.