According to Punch, Gonoh Michael, a farmer from Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, recounts his harrowing 12-day ordeal in the hands of kidnappers.
Speaking to Temitope Adetunji, he describes the fear, hunger, and harsh conditions he endured throughout the period.
He said that faith was his source of strength and warned that kidnapping incidents have been increasing in his community.
When asked “What were the living conditions like?” Michael explained that the situation was unbearable from the beginning.
According to him: “The conditions were terrible. For the first three days, we were given no food and became weak and dizzy. When they eventually provided a small quantity of garri, it felt like a royal meal because we were so hungry.
“After that, food was limited and inconsistent. We had to sleep on the bare ground without any mats or blankets, and there was a shortage of water.
“Mosquitoes swarmed around us, the nights were chilly, and our clothes were filthy and torn. It was an incredibly painful experience.”
He stressed that the scarcity of food, the cold nights, and the relentless presence of insects intensified their suffering. The lack of essential resources left them both physically drained and mentally worn out.
When asked if the captors were violent or threatening and whether they made demands, he affirmed that the kidnappers were merciless.
He explained: “Yes, they were violent and threatening. Their goal was to extract money from our families. They beat us, threatened us, and forced us to call relatives to beg for ransom. They treated us like objects, not human beings.”
Michael said the beatings and threats were constant, and the kidnappers only focused on getting money from their families.
He noted that the experience left lasting emotional scars and reflected a growing danger that residents of his community now face.
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