A Night of Terror: How Soldiers Rescued, Saved Us From Paying Ransom — Sokoto Kidnap Victim
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A Night of Terror: How Soldiers Rescued, Saved Us From Paying Ransom — Sokoto Kidnap Victim
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
In the quiet village of Goronyo in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Lami Dahiru found herself thrust into a nightmare when armed assailants descended upon her community under the cover of darkness. Alongside four fellow villagers, she was forcibly taken from her home, her fate hanging in the balance as she endured a harrowing ordeal at the hands of her kidnappers.
Sharing her ordeal with Defence Correspondents on a media tour to the theatres of operation of Operation HADARIN DAJI in Northwest, Ms. Dahiru in her trembling voice recounted, “They asked me where my husband was,” but “I knew if I told them the truth, they would only bring more suffering. So, I told them my husband had passed away six months prior, and I had not remarried.”
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With each passing moment, their journey through the forest became more grueling, the threat of violence looming over them like a dark cloud. “We walked through the night without rest, without food or water,” she recalled. “And the next day, the torment continued as they warned us of imminent death if our families failed to meet their ransom demands, giving us the day as our last day on earth.”
But just when hope seemed lost, salvation arrived in the form of unexpected heroes. “Suddenly, we heard the rumble of vehicles, and then, like angels descending from above, troops of the Nigerian Military appeared,” Dahiru recounted, her eyes shining with gratitude. “They ordered us to stand, and though fear urged us to flee, we were surrounded by the soldiers and our confidence becomes more than ever.”
In a moment of chaos and courage, the soldiers engaged the kidnappers, their gunfire shattering the silence of the forest and scattering the assailants in disarray. “Some of the soldiers pursued them into the depths of the forest, while others ushered us to safety. We were rescued without paying any ransom, ” Dahiru said, her voice filled with relief. “They took us to a medical facility where we received the care and rehabilitation we so desperately needed.”
As Dahiru reflects on her ordeal, she knows that she owes her life to the brave men and women in uniform who risked everything to rescue her and her fellow captives. “I will never forget the bravery of those soldiers,” she said, her gaze steady with resolve. “They are true heroes, and I am forever grateful for their courage and sacrifice.”
