Kidnap Victim Recounts Ordeal: “We Survived on Tasteless Rice and Three Spoons of Garri a Day”

DDM News

A survivor of a recent abduction in Nigeria has shared a chilling account of the inhumane treatment suffered in the hands of kidnappers, shedding light on the worsening security situation across parts of the country.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that Edafe Ofoluwa, a victim of kidnapping, revealed in a post-release interview how he endured starvation, torture, and psychological torment while being held hostage for seven days.

His ordeal is yet another grim reminder of the increasing danger Nigerians face amid the rising wave of insecurity and lawlessness.

According to a detailed account published by The Punch on Tuesday, Ofoluwa said that throughout the week-long captivity, he and other abductees were fed only three or four times.

Even then, the food consisted only of plain, tasteless rice, served without salt, oil, or any form of nourishment.

“They gave us tasteless rice about three or four times, and on other days, garri to drink,” he stated.

“Each person was given just three spoons, and that was all.”

On most days, the captives survived only on dry cassava flakes (garri) mixed with water.

There was no schedule or consistency, and days often passed with no food at all.

Some victims reportedly drank dirty water or even their own urine to avoid dying from dehydration.

Ofoluwa described how the kidnappers forced them to walk long distances, climbing hills and crossing rough forest terrain, even on empty stomachs.

“We kept walking, and if you slowed down, they beat you,” he said. Several people collapsed from hunger and exhaustion.

There was no access to hygiene, clean water, or sanitation.

This disturbing testimony highlights the scale of abuse suffered by victims of Nigeria’s kidnapping-for-ransom crisis, a crime wave that continues to spread across the country with little visible deterrence.

According to SBM Intelligence, over 3,600 Nigerians were kidnapped between January and June 2024, with the North-Central and North-Western regions among the hardest hit.

Security experts and civil society groups have consistently called for urgent reforms in policing and rural intelligence to combat the threat.

They argue that Nigeria’s porous borders, poor funding for security agencies, and weak judicial system have emboldened criminal gangs.

Ofoluwa’s case joins a long list of survivors still battling physical and mental trauma.

Human rights activists say the long-term psychological scars suffered by victims like him cannot be ignored.

The Nigerian government has faced growing pressure to step up security and offer greater protection to citizens, especially in rural and under-policed areas where such crimes often occur.

For Edafe Ofoluwa, escaping alive is just the beginning of a painful journey toward healing in a country where security has become a daily concern.

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