In a deeply disturbing account that exposes the rot within Nigeria’s security and justice systems, a Nigerian Law School student, David Obiora, has debunked official claims that he and five others were rescued by the police after being abducted en route to the Yola Campus. Instead, he revealed they were released only after paying a whopping ₦10 million ransom each — and endured five days of beatings, starvation, and psychological torture.
In an exclusive interview, Obiora, who hails from Anambra State, gave a vivid and gut-wrenching narration of his abduction on July 20 along the Zakibiam-Mukari Expressway in Benue State, after boarding a vehicle operated by Al Dampulo Company Transport Limited from Onitsha, heading to Yola.
> “The road was blocked with sticks and tables. The driver tried to escape by turning, but the vehicle got stuck in the bush. That was how the kidnappers caught us,” he recounted.
Among the passengers were six Nigerian Law School students, alongside traders and other travelers. According to Obiora, their ordeal began the moment they were captured.
> “We were tortured every day. They beat us, fed us just once daily, and forced us to drink dirty, mud-filled water,” he said. “Each of us paid ₦10 million before we were freed. Nobody was rescued — we ransomed our way out.”
He dismissed the widely publicized statement by the Nigerian Police Force claiming credit for their “rescue,” labelling it as a deliberate falsehood aimed at whitewashing their failure.
> “No, the police didn’t rescue us. They were too scared to come near. We handled our release ourselves. They only appeared after we had been let go,” Obiora said pointedly.
Even more damning was his revelation that the Council of Legal Education was nowhere to be found during the crisis. “They played no role whatsoever. Not even a phone call or support,” he said, expressing disappointment in the legal institution’s indifference.
After their release, the victims trekked barefoot for hours through dense forest trails from Benue into Taraba State, eventually reaching a motor park where they found refuge in a roadside restaurant. A kind-hearted transport company manager facilitated their eventual arrival in Yola.
But perhaps the most chilling aspect of Obiora’s story lies in his exposé of community complicity in the kidnapping operations.
> “The entire Jota community — mostly Tiv people — is complicit. Elderly women cooked for us. Children watched us like it was normal. No one lifted a finger. It’s a full-blown community business,” he revealed.
He described how one of the kidnappers bragged about being in the business for nine years, flaunting his wealth — including a Toyota Highlander, multiple homes, and a family living in comfort while he operated from the forest.
> “Their leader is a former soldier — a runaway military man. He boasts about settling security forces, including the army and navy. He has a jujuman in Kano who uses charms to suppress military incursions into the forest,” Obiora said.
According to him, the kidnappers are emboldened by the knowledge that Nigerian forces are reluctant to attack civilian areas, which the criminals cleverly use as human shields.
> “They believe they’re untouchable because the military fears collateral damage. But I’m calling on the Nigerian Air Force and Army to bomb the entire area and clear it. That forest must be wiped out — completely turned into dry land.”
Obiora’s shocking testimony not only dismantles the narrative pushed by security agencies but also highlights the deep rot festering within rural communities that have turned banditry into an economic enterprise — protected by corruption, mysticism, and silence.
His call for airstrikes underscores a growing desperation among citizens who feel abandoned by a government that cannot guarantee their safety on the roads, in schools, or even in transit.
This horrifying ordeal of future legal practitioners not only exposes the failure of law enforcement but calls into question the sincerity of Nigeria’s war on insecurity. When victims are left to pay millions to regain their freedom, who really is in control — the state or the bandits?
PIONEER NEWS 