Ishaya Kuka, brother to the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Fr. Matthew Kukah, on Tuesday recounted his harrowing experience in the hands of bandits, saying he had given up hope of surviving.
Kuka was among the 60 kidnapped victims rescued by troops of the Nigerian Army’s 1 Division and received by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, in Abuja.
Speaking shortly after the formal reception, he said, “Frankly speaking, I had already given up. I didn’t think I would come out alive because of how they were treating us in the bush. We suffered too much. They used to chain us in twos. If you wanted to defecate or urinate, you had to move together.”
He described how victims were pressured into agreeing to ransom demands due to the torture they endured.
“They beat you so badly that you’re forced to say you’ll give money. If they notice you’re reluctant, they’ll beat or even kill you,” he added.
Expressing his gratitude, Kuka said, “If not for the Federal Government, we would still be in the bush. Thank you for what you have done. God bless you.”
Another rescued victim, Adesanya Michael, Deputy Director at the National Assembly Commission, who was abducted from his residence in Kubwa, Abuja, advocated for a non-combative approach to tackling banditry.
He said the bandits, mostly aged between 17 and 21, were stark illiterates and victims of circumstance.
“I was chained for 32 days. Most of them can’t even count up to a million. They don’t know what they’re doing. Instead of killing them, the government should arrest, educate, and rehabilitate them. Some of them want to learn trades. They can still be useful,” he said.
Michael, who was kidnapped on January 26 and released on April 7, recounted how his wife was killed in his presence.
“When they kill someone in front of you, you’ll give them anything they want. They killed my wife before me. In that moment, if they asked for my head, I would have given it.”
Speaking while receiving the rescued victims, NSA Ribadu said the operation was the result of ongoing military efforts under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.
“Daily, we are restoring order, security, and stability. We will not relent until these criminals are brought to justice,” Ribadu said.
He also urged families of kidnapped victims not to pay ransom, warning that it fuels the cycle of criminality.
But I want to also use the opportunity to talk to our people. Please, stop giving money to these people. It’s one of the worst things that is happening. It’s the most difficult thing we are facing. Many of these people, as you see them, their families have given money to these people.
The more you give, the more you are compounding the problems for us. We have never given anybody a dime. We don’t. And we don’t want people to do so. Please, stop it .
We are saying enough is enough. We will not be able to stop this thing quickly if people continue to give them money. I want to make a very strong appeal to all. It’s understandable. When someone of yours is in captivity, you will do whatever it takes for you to get him back. But this is counterproductive.
“It is actually encouraging for it to continue. The whole essence is to get money. And if you continue to give them, you are actually saying go and do more and more.”
‘We are appealing to our people, to the country, to everybody, that please, let’s stop giving this money. Give us a chance for us to do the work. We will get it done.”
Ribadu added that the government remains committed to ending banditry, emphasizing that justice will be served.
The Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar stated that the Tinubu administration was determined to end insecurity.
“With the coordination from the NSA and the security services, we will see the end of these criminals. We urge citizens to continue providing vital information that will help security forces.”
Earlier, the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, said the 60 victims—comprising 35 males and 25 females—were rescued on April 7 in a joint operation involving various security and intelligence agencies across Kaduna State and the Federal Capital Territory.
