Kidnappers gave us garri and dirty water, Released corps member

A survivor of the kidnapping of 20 National Youth Service Corps members in Imo State has shared how their captors allegedly beat them with guns and fists, limited their contact with family, and fed them garri mixed with dirty water while they were held in a forest.

The survivor, who spoke to BBC Pidgin in an interview published on Monday, said the victims were allowed to call their families but faced punishment if their conversations upset their captors.

"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 survivor added that the male victims were mostly beaten, while the captors seemed hesitant to hit 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 kidnapped on October 1 while traveling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The attack happened around 6:30 AM along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, when gunmen attacked two buses carrying the travellers.

The kidnappers reportedly asked for N50 million for each person before lowering the amount later.

While the search went on, the police said they found the kidnappers' hideout through drone surveillance but had trouble getting to the site because of suspected explosive devices around the camp.

Security agencies then stepped up their search-and-rescue efforts, sending more personnel and equipment.

The victims were eventually rescued on October 7, seven days after the kidnapping, in a joint operation with security agencies. They were taken for medical checks and treatment after their release.

Recalling how the journey started, the survivor said the group left at about 9 AM and made several stops before reaching Onitsha, where their driver said they would spend the night.

The survivor mentioned that the passengers asked the driver to continue the journey when they reached Ore to avoid delays.

According to the survivor, the driver said they needed to rest in Onitsha because the next part of the journey could be risky.

The survivor said they informed their families about their overnight stop and went to sleep, only to wake up in captivity.

"When I wake up, that na when the incident happen," the survivor said.

The victim explained that they were taken to a forest where they were held for some time before being moved deeper into an unknown forest.

"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 their living conditions, the survivor said the captors gave them dry garri and dirty water, which they had to eat to survive.

"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 experience, the survivor added, left them shocked and unable to process what was happening.

"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 victim thanked the Department of State Services for the rescue, saying, "The government, na di DSS rescue us."

PUNCH had earlier reported that the police confirmed the rescue of the 20 prospective corps members in Imo State, while the search for the kidnappers continues.