Ishaya Kukah, the brother of Rev. Fr. Matthew Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, has shared his chilling experience in the captivity of bandits following his recent rescue.
Kukah was one of 60 victims freed by troops from the Nigerian Army’s 1 Division and formally received in Abuja by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and Defence Minister Badaru Abubakar.
In an emotional recount after the reception, Kukah revealed the torment he endured and the hopelessness he felt during his time in captivity.
“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 said.
Kukah went on to explain the tactics used by the kidnappers to pressure captives into submitting to ransom demands.
“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.
Grateful for his freedom, Kukah credited the federal authorities for his release. “If not for the Federal Government, we would still be in the bush. Thank you for what you have done. God bless you,” he said.
Another survivor, Adesanya Michael, a Deputy Director at the National Assembly Commission who was abducted from his home in Kubwa, Abuja, spoke out about his own traumatic experience. Advocating a different approach to fighting banditry, Michael called for education and rehabilitation of the young perpetrators.
“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 was kidnapped on January 26 and released on April 7. Recalling the darkest moment of his ordeal, he shared a deeply personal tragedy.
“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.”
NSA Nuhu Ribadu, while addressing the rescued victims, praised the ongoing military efforts under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, highlighting the steady progress in restoring national security.
“Daily, we are restoring order, security, and stability. We will not relent until these criminals are brought to justice,” Ribadu stated.
He also issued a strong plea to families of kidnapped individuals, urging them to refrain from paying ransom—a practice he said is hindering government efforts.
“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 counter-productive.”
“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,” Ribadu warned.
He appealed for public cooperation, asking citizens to trust in the government’s ability to handle the situation.
“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,” he assured.
Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, also expressed the administration’s unwavering commitment to eradicating 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.”
Providing further details on the rescue operation, the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, confirmed that the victims, comprising 35 men and 25 women, were freed on April 7 in a coordinated effort across Kaduna State and the Federal Capital Territory involving multiple security and intelligence agencies.
