“From Captivity to Freedom: A Survivor’s Tale of Kidnapping and Survival”

In a gripping account of survival, 30-year-old Fayina Akilawus from Kaduna shares the harrowing details of her four-year ordeal at the hands of kidnappers. Abducted in October 2020, she was among a group of passengers traveling to Adamawa, when armed bandits ambushed their bus, shooting the driver and one passenger before forcing the rest into the depths of the forest.

Akilawus, who was preparing for her wedding in December 2020, had no idea that her life would be forever changed when the bandits abducted her. She recalls the terrifying moment when she was ripped away from her future, forced to stay in captivity with no communication from her family. Despite her desperate pleas to contact her loved ones or secure a ransom, the bandits denied her every request, leaving her uncertain of their intentions.

The days in captivity were filled with deprivation. Akilawus and the other victims were only fed once a day, and she had to race to eat before the food ran out. “It was survival of the fittest,” she recalls. In the first month, she faced the shame and humiliation of dealing with menstruation under such cruel conditions, a reality that worsened as she became more physically and emotionally drained. Her clothing, torn and tattered, symbolized her suffering, and she endured the mental anguish of wondering if she would ever see her family again.

Among the other captives were eight young women, and it became apparent that the bandits intended to marry them. Akilawus describes how the bandits would sometimes make advances toward her, but their commander would intervene—until he wasn’t around. It was a constant battle for her dignity, with fleeting moments of hope as she realized she had developed enough trust from the kidnappers to be sent on errands alone.

Despite being surrounded by well-armed bandits who communicated via walkie-talkies, Akilawus began to see an opportunity for escape. By October 2024, after nearly four years in captivity, she was sent to fetch water at a nearby stream. Knowing the area well, she seized the chance and made a daring escape, eventually finding her way to a road where kind strangers helped her reunite with her family.

However, her freedom came at a heartbreaking cost. When she returned home, she learned that her fiancé had married another woman, believing her to be dead after years of silence. Her dreams of a wedding vanished, but she found solace in the fact that she had survived and could now begin to rebuild her life.

Akilawus’ story is one of unimaginable endurance, courage, and resilience—a reminder of the unbreakable spirit of those who survive the darkest of circumstances.