Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna was agog with unbridled joy, singing and dancing on Friday as the 17 freed students were finally reunited with their parents 58 days after their abduction.
The students and their parents wore various expressions as some were crying, some were smiling, some were singing and dancing, while others were kneeling down and giving praises to God in their various ways.
There was no handing over eventually, as the school auditorium became too rowdy and the Kaduna state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, and Kaduna state Commissioner of Police, Umar Muri, after giving their speeches left to allow the students savour their freedom with their parents.
Speaking to Blueprint, one of the freed students, Pamela Ibrahim, said they saw hell.
“It wasn’t funny, it was hell. They don’t feed us, they don’t give us anything to drink. We never took our bath even once. But we thank God for finally hearing our prayers and making them to free us.
“Before they released us, the kidnappers told us that they don’t have anything against us, that they kidnapped us because they need government to settle things with them, that they also want to be educated like other Nigerians, they need work, they need houses. If government didn’t settle them that they would not stop, they would continue to make sure that Kaduna state is not safe.
“They were very serious when they said that and it made us believe that they meant it. Some of them are Nigerians some are foreigners. They speak mainly Fulani and Hausa. There was an old man there anytime he is with us, he stops them from harassing us, but once he is not around, they beat us and insult us,”
Another freed student, Sarah Sunday while recalling her experience in the kidnappers’ den, said, “A lot of things happened while we were there. We passed though hunger, we were subjected to trekking and all sort of dehumanizing things. We were insulted, but fortunately, they did not molest or kill any of us. They only beat us on the first day when they did a video of us.”
Speaking about how they were fed in the forest, Sarah said, “the boys used to go and and fetch water for us to cook. We normally cook Tuwo with miyan kuka (baobab leaf soup), and Tuwo with dry okro. We only cooked rice once, and we cooked Spaghetti once too.”
Asked whether their abductors used to leave them and go out for other operation during their stay, she said, “yes, they used to go out, but they always leave some of their armed gang members to stay with us. Even our male colleagues that used to go and fetch water, there are those that escort them to the stream with AK47 rifles.
“Our living condition there in the jungle was very bad. We never had our bath. Rain use to beat us, even though there was a hut that we always run to, yet rain would still beat us inside the poorly built hut. But, we have forgiven our kidnappers. And we pray that God will give them chance to change for the better.”
For Zakariya Mohammed Magaji, the kidnappers’ den was hell that she would not wish for his enemies.
“The bandits need prayers. All that we have to do is the pray for them for God to touch their hearts. As for me, I have forgiven them for whatever we went through in their hands. The experience was hell,” he said.
One of the parents, Ibrahim Hassan, whose daughter was released few days to the wedding of her elder sister said he can now sleep well.
“I was confused, my life was miserable throughout the time my daughter was with the kidnappers. I only depended on God.
“When I heard that some of the students of Greenfield University were killed, I became sad, thinking that I would never see my daughter again but when I learnt they have been released, my joy knew no bound especially as her elder sister’s wedding comes up in Zaria tomorrow (Saturday) it is double joy for me,” he said.
For Mr Friday Sani, it was a memorable day for his family.
According to him, “This is a happy moment for the family, for any of the parent it is a time of joy for us, 58 days ago was a moment of trauma for us. But today has changed everything that we went through. This is a time of joy.”
Asked if he would allow his daughters return to the school, he said, “if my children must come back here. I must be sure that there is a serious security structure on ground, that this kind of incident will not happen again. If in few months’ time nothing serious is on ground I will move my children out, because they are too dear to me.
“The first one will be 20 years old by September, the second one will be 18 by November, they are too dear to me to lose and I will not want this kind of experience again, as i have never experienced this kind of situation before in my life.”
