We Were Taken To Six Locations Barefoot Before Rescue,Oyo School Abduction Victim

The account was given at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday by a Department of State Services (DSS) witness identified as “AAA” to protect her identity, during the trial of five suspected members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU).

Testifying before Justice Salim Ibrahim, “AAA” said the victims were forced to sleep on grass and endured heavy rain, sunshine, hunger and severe shortages of water. She said children as young as one and a half years were among those held captive.

She alleged that the victims were initially fed rice, salt and palm oil, but their meals were later reduced to rice and palm oil before they were left with only plain rice after the supplies ran out. At some point, she said, about four victims had to share one cup of water.

The witness also alleged that two teachers, Deacon John Olaleye and Michael Oyedokun, were separately taken away and beheaded after the kidnappers accused the government of failing to meet their demands.

She further told the court that the victims could not bathe or wash their clothes throughout the 56-day ordeal and were forced to drink dirty water to stay alive.

According to her, the victims were eventually rescued at the sixth camp after security forces engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle.

The defendants — Mahmud Muhammad, Abubakar Abbas, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani — are standing trial over alleged membership of ANSARU.

Defence lawyer Bala Dakum is expected to cross-examine the witness on September 18, while Justice Salim Ibrahim has ordered that the defendants remain in DSS custody throughout the trial.