A Nigerian Law School student, David Obiora, has recounted a terrifying experience of abduction, torture, and starvation, alleging that security forces did not rescue him and five others as officially claimed. Obiora, who hails from Anambra State, was kidnapped on July 20 while heading to the Yola Campus of the Nigerian Law School.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Obiora explained that the abduction occurred along the Zakibiam-Mukari Expressway after he boarded an Al Dampulo Company Transport Limited vehicle from Onitsha en route to Yola. According to him, the kidnappers had blocked the road with sticks and tables. When the driver attempted to reverse and flee, the vehicle got stuck in the bush, giving the assailants an opportunity to capture them.
“There were six of us who were law students on the bus, alongside traders and other passengers,” Obiora stated.
He described the horrors of their captivity, revealing that they were beaten daily, fed just once a day, and forced to drink muddy water to survive. The ordeal, he said, lasted from Saturday, July 26, to Wednesday, July 31. Each abductee reportedly had to pay a ransom of ₦10 million to secure their release.
Obiora firmly rejected the claim by the Nigeria Police that they had rescued the students. “No, the police didn’t rescue us. We were released only after paying ransom. The police didn’t come anywhere near us—they were afraid the kidnappers would kill us,” he said.
He also dismissed any suggestion that the Council of Legal Education had intervened. “They played no role at all,” he added.
After gaining their freedom, the victims trekked for hours through thick bushes, moving from Benue into Taraba State. Eventually, they reached a local restaurant near a motor park, where they spent the night before connecting with a transport manager who helped them continue their journey to Yola.
Obiora painted a disturbing picture of life inside the kidnappers’ den, stating that the entire local community in the area was complicit. “Old women cooked for us, and children casually watched us as we moved around. Nobody tried to intervene—it was like the whole village was involved,” he said.
He identified the area as Jota, a community in Benue State inhabited by members of the Tiv ethnic group. One of the kidnappers, he said, even bragged about having been in the business for nine years, owning a Toyota Highlander and other vehicles, and living well while his wife and children resided safely outside the forest and attended school.
The ringleader of the operation, Obiora revealed, was allegedly a former soldier who deserted the military. This individual, he claimed, used his influence to bribe military and naval personnel. “They told me their boss is a runaway soldier. He has many weapons hidden in his house. He even settles the army and navy,” Obiora recounted.
He further alleged that the criminal gang employed the services of a traditional spiritualist (jujuman) from Kano who reportedly had the power to detect and suppress incoming military forces. According to him, this jujuman informed them of any impending raids and helped shield the group from attacks.
Obiora emphasized the urgent need for the government to take decisive military action. He proposed that the Nigerian Armed Forces should carry out aerial bombardments to completely clear the forest, as the kidnappers were using the local population as human shields.
“They know the military won’t just attack civilians, so they hide among them. But they said they don’t kill their victims—they only collect ransom. They claimed they were in partnership with the authorities,” he stated.
Obiora concluded with a passionate call for airstrikes, saying, “That entire place should be leveled. It should become dry land. That’s the only way to end this.”
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