A freed captive of the Abuja–Kaduna train attack, Hassan Aliyu, who has described the daily lives of the victims in the kidnappers’ den.
In Aliyu told Daily Trust that throughout the 70 days in captivity, himself and others were fed with poorly cooked rice and tuwo, a local meal.
He said while the female captives cooked, washed the utensils, men fetched firewood and water.
“We only ate to survive, but it was plenty. They fed us very well in terms of quantity. We had rice mixed with palm oil and Maggi. The alternative was tuwo masara,” he said.
Aliyu added that they prayed freely and were never harassed in any way. It was just the feeling that they were not free because wherever they wanted to go they must take permission.
“Whatever you want to do you must ask for permission. The only time you don’t ask for permission is when you want to interact among yourselves.
“There was nothing like changing of clothes because we had one each. They provided detergents and bar soap. We would go to the stream, take bath, wash our cloths, wait for them to dry and come back,” he said.
When the rain started, Aliyu said there were small structures built with zinc – three or four.
“We all went there, the women took one, later they built a bigger one. So, if the rains persisted, we slept there.
“Around six or thereabouts, because it was raining, I thought we might not be going until the following day. But suddenly, there was a command that we should come out. We came out and were taken on motorbikes. We travelled for about six hours at night, crossing rivers; some of them flooded.”
Related story:
‘Our Captors Preached to Us, Were Friendly’ – Freed Abuja-Kaduna Train Victim
‘Our Daily Lives in Captivity’ – Freed Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack Victim
Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack