A hairstylist, Elizabeth Arowojolu, who escaped from kidnappers after being abducted along the Benin-Ore Expressway, speaks with TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about her terrifying ordeal and survival

What do you do for a living?

I work as a hairstylist. I am from Ondo State, while my mother is from Edo State. My parents are separated, and my siblings live in a different location.

Can you take us through your journey on the day you were kidnapped?

I was travelling from Benin to Lagos to visit a friend. I left Benin at about 3 pm and boarded a bus at Ogheghe on the Sapele Bypass Road in Benin City.

We got to Ore, and the incident happened after Ore. I cannot remember the exact location, but after I escaped, I described the area to some farmers, who told me it was close to a place they called “Step-down” along the Benin-Ore Expressway.

I believe the incident happened around 5 pm or shortly after 5 pm.

What date did the incident happen?

It was September 13.

When did you realise something was wrong?

I was on the bus, scrolling through TikTok and Instagram on my phone, when I suddenly heard noise coming from the vehicles ahead of us. I looked up and saw a car in front of our bus.

At first, we thought they were armed robbers.

One of the men stood beside our driver. As soon as the driver realised what was happening, he locked the door. The man started hitting the bus and demanding that he open the door. He also threatened to shoot him.

At the same time, the driver of a trailer behind us and another person had already come down from their truck and run away.

Our driver could not manoeuvre because there was a truck behind us and a car in front. One of the attackers was standing in front of the car, while another was near our bus.

How many attackers did you see, and what were they carrying?

Initially, I saw two, but there were four in total. Three were carrying guns, while one had a cutlass and a big stick.

One of them broke the driver’s side mirror and continued beating him, demanding that he open the door. Eventually, our driver could no longer withstand the beating and opened the door.

They entered the bus and started beating everyone. Two of them had their faces covered, while the others did not. One of them looked Fulani to me, while the others did not look Hausa.

While they were inside the bus, they called each other by different names. I remember hearing them call one of them “Scorpion” and another “Scala”, although I am not completely certain about the second name.

What happened when they entered the bus?

The first man who entered the bus pointed his gun towards the roof and fired, ordering everybody to keep quiet.

I had about three phones and an iPad with me. At that point, I still thought they were armed robbers who only wanted to collect our phones and belongings before leaving.

I was sitting on the second-to-last row, so I tried to hide two of my phones. I successfully hid one and was trying to hide the second when one of the kidnappers noticed me.

He asked what I was trying to hide. I brought out the second phone, and he hit me on the forehead, close to my eye, with the gun he was carrying. The gun looked like one of those wooden guns. I became unconscious, but I could still hear and understand what was happening around me.

What happened after you were attacked inside the bus?

They ordered everyone to come down from the bus. They also pointed their guns at our driver’s head and threatened to shoot him.

There were about 12 people in the bus I was travelling in. The occupants of the first car were also taken.

After they stopped us, we noticed that no other vehicle was moving. There were no vehicles passing on either side of the road. Everywhere was suddenly quiet.

They ordered us to come down one after another, put our hands behind our heads and form a line. Before we entered the bush, one of them brought out a big bag and ordered us to put our phones inside it.

I still had one phone hidden inside the trousers I was wearing. They collected the other phones and ordered us to follow them into the bush.

How did they lead you into the bush?

Two of them walked in front of us, while the other two followed behind. They kept ordering us to run faster as they led us deeper into the bush. There were about 16 of us who had been kidnapped.

It was getting dark. The journey into the bush lasted more than two hours. At some points, they told us to slow down, while at other times, they ordered us to run. Eventually, they told us to sit down and form a circle, with our hands behind our heads.

What happened when you were made to sit in a circle?

The man sitting beside me began giving signals that we should be prepared to run. He did not say it directly. He was using gestures and trying to communicate with his mouth.

Two of the kidnappers were still with us. One had moved away and appeared to be cutting something, possibly a plank. I wondered if he wanted to use it to beat us.

They warned us that anyone who tried to run or do anything would be killed. The man beside me continued signalling that we should get ready to run.

How did you eventually get the opportunity to escape?

Suddenly, two of the kidnappers stood up. One of them was carrying a cutlass. They stepped away from where we were sitting, and it seemed as though something had distracted them. I cannot remember exactly what happened at that moment.

Then, suddenly, three men close to where I was sitting stood up and started running. The man who had been signalling to me was among them. I ran with them. I was the only woman who escaped with the men.

One of the men told us not to stop and avoid running in a straight line. The kidnappers started shooting into the air and threatening to kill us if we did not stop. It was already dark, and it felt like the middle of the night, but we kept running.

How many of you were able to escape together?

At one point, there were four of us together, three men and me. Initially, I was running with three men, but we later lost sight of one of them. The men who escaped with me kept encouraging everyone to continue running and not to stop.

We ran until around 6am. By then, we were completely exhausted and eventually sat down to rest. One of the men said he thought there might be a road nearby, so we decided to wait until it became clearer. It was already daylight.

After resting, we continued walking, hoping to find a road or perhaps a hill from where we could see our surroundings. As we walked, we started seeing cassava, palm trees and other signs that there were farms nearby. Until then, all we had seen was thick bush. Around 9am, we began seeing more cassava and palm trees.

What happened when you eventually came across people?

We met an old man who looked like a farmer and two small children. At first, we were scared because we did not know who they were.

We approached them and explained that we had been kidnapped but escaped. The old man sympathised with us and took us to his home.

We were given water, and we saw some of their neighbours. A woman told us that she had just finished preparing boiled yam and offered us some. One of us ate, while the remaining two did not.

I saw a ripe pawpaw on a tree and asked if I could have one instead. They plucked one for me, and that was what I ate.

Were you able to contact your family after reaching the farmers?

They asked us to reach out to our loved ones. Unfortunately, the phone I had did not have a SIM card.

We were told that the farmers would show us the road to Narowi, where we could get a motorcycle. One of them directed us along a particular road and told us to keep going until we got to a point where we could find a motorcycle to Narowi Junction, after Ore in Ondo State.

Were you able to get the name of the village where you were rescued?

No.

Which state was the area in?

Ondo State.

How were you eventually able to get to your destination?

When I got to Narowi, I was still with one of the men who had escaped with me. The third person had already found his route and gone his way.

When we got to the junction, the people there saw us and listened to our story. They all wanted to help.

I begged for access to Wi-Fi so I could connect to WhatsApp. I also borrowed a phone to call my family because the phone I had could only connect to WhatsApp and could not make calls.

I called my family using the borrowed phone and connected to their Wi-Fi. They made us sit down and helped us find a bus going back to Benin.

I stopped at Okada and took another car to Ugbobazua in Edo State, to my grandma’s place.

I was the only one who returned to Benin, while the other man took a bus to Lagos.

When did you escape?

We escaped that same night, September 13. We did not spend a night with them. It was the first night we would have spent with them.

Immediately after you realised that you had been kidnapped, what was running through your mind?

I thought they were going to kill us or demand a ransom. I was thinking, “God, I am dead already.”

I kept praying that it would not end that way. Even if I had to die, I did not want to die that way.

Looking back, what do you think would have happened if you had not escaped?

They would have killed me because I don’t think my family could raise millions of naira.

What was the reaction of your family when they saw you after your rescue?

They came around and started dancing and celebrating. They even gave testimony in church.

How do you feel about everything that happened and the fact that you were able to escape?

Right now, I am just grateful. Today is my birthday, September 29. I feel lucky that this happened around my birthday.

My picture is not being posted everywhere with “RIP” written on it. Maybe the kidnappers would have demanded millions of naira for my release, or my family would have had to struggle to raise the money. I am just grateful to be alive.

Have you been able to receive proper medical attention?

Yes, but that was after I got to my grandmother’s house in Ugbobazua.

The wound on my face is still there, but I have been keeping it clean with a cloth. I was wearing the clothes the farmers gave me because my top was torn while I was running.

I ran into a stick, which tore my top and also injured my breast.

You have mentioned your mother and grandmother. What about your father and siblings?

My siblings are fine. They live in a different location. My dad and my mum are separated.

You made a post on TikTok about your experience. Some people made negative comments. Did you ever feel discouraged about sharing your story?

I do not feel discouraged because I am alive to tell the story. There were many more positive comments than negative ones, and that is enough for me.

The reason I made the post was to create awareness about what is happening in the country. To people who still find it difficult to believe my story because I came out alive, I pray that they never experience such a situation.

To people who are still being held in the bush, I wonder what they are going through. It was a terrifying situation.

What do you want people to understand about what kidnap victims and their families go through?

I want Nigerians to hear about what others are experiencing. Some people may be safe somewhere or being held somewhere, while their families do not know where they are.

If anybody is looking for a family member who has been travelling around the country and has not been seen, they should know that things like this happen.

I also want people to know that sometimes, risks have to be taken. Among us, there were about 15 people, and one of the men was trying to give signals that we should run.

I was part of those who took the risk; some couldn’t because of fear, and I understand.

Looking back now, I believe taking that chance saved my life. We did not know where we were running to, and we could hear the kidnappers firing shots and threatening us, but we kept moving. (Saturday PUNCH)

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