A 30-year-old Kaduna-based woman, Fayina Akilawus, has shared the harrowing details of her four-year captivity in the hands of kidnappers, revealing how she and seven other female abductees were subjected to sexual abuse and forced into planned marriages by their captors.
Akilawus recounted how her nightmare began on October 19, 2020, when she boarded a 14-seater bus to Adamawa in preparation for her December wedding. The journey was abruptly cut short when bandits about 10 in number ambushed the vehicle, shot the driver and a passenger, and marched the remaining passengers into the forest.
Abducted Just Before Her Wedding
“I was preparing for my wedding in December 2020 before the ugly incident happened on October 19. After spending a few months with the bandits, I pleaded with them to call my family for ransom, but they refused.”
She explained that throughout her captivity, the kidnappers never contacted her family for ransom, leaving her uncertain about her fate.
Survival in Captivity
For the first month, the captives were only fed once a day, forcing them to scramble for food. She also revealed that some abductors tried to sexually assault her, but their commander sometimes intervened to stop them. However, in his absence, she was left vulnerable to their abuse.
“Whenever I was menstruating, they would avoid coming to our hut because they believed menstrual blood could neutralize their charms. However, during my first month in captivity, anxiety made my period last for 10 days instead of four”.
For six months, she had only one set of clothes, which eventually tore apart. A bandit later gave her another cloth out of pity.
“The most painful experience was during menstruation. The blood would dry on my body because I had no way to clean up. I could only wash when they sent me to fetch water from the stream.”
Forced Marriages and Constant Abductions
Akilawus revealed that the bandits planned to marry off the eight female captives while continuing their criminal activities.
“They often raided homes and highways, abducting more people. It was a terrifying experience.”
How She Escaped After Four Years
After two years, the kidnappers began to trust her, sometimes allowing her to run errands alone. She decided to study the routes and waited for the right moment to escape.
“In October 2024, they sent me to fetch water alone. That was my chance. I knew the paths, so I ran until I found a road. Passersby saw me and helped me reunite with my family.”
Fiancé Moved On
Unfortunately, after four years without any news of her whereabouts, Akilawus returned home to discover that her fiancé had married another woman, assuming she was dead.
“My fiancé married another woman because they never heard from the kidnappers. It was heartbreaking, but I am grateful to be alive.”
Her story is a chilling reminder of the ongoing security crisis in Nigeria, with thousands still held by kidnappers in remote forests across the country.
