We slept in the open, ate only garri – Freed varsity students recount ordeal

Three female students from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (JOSTUM), formerly known as the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM), have shared the harrowing details of their eight-day ordeal in captivity after being abducted by armed men.

The students, identified as Emmanuella Msendo Orakaa, Susan Apebo, and Folashade Adeyemi, were kidnapped near the university’s North Core campus while heading for a night study session on Tuesday, February 25.

Initially thought to be four victims, the students were later released after their families paid a ransom of ₦10 million.

Ambushed and taken into the forest

Speaking from her home in Makurdi, Emmanuella Orakaa, a 300-level student of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, described the terrifying moment they were abducted.

“We were on our way to class when suddenly, armed men emerged from the bushes and surrounded us. We tried to run, but they were everywhere.

“They forced us deep into the forest, making us walk for hours until we reached a place I later found out was Gbajimgba,” she recounted.

Orakaa revealed that although other students were nearby, only the three of them were taken.

The kidnappers, masked and communicating in Hausa, ambushed them from multiple directions. One of the girls attempted to escape but was quickly caught, along with the third victim.

Living in fear and deprivation

Throughout their captivity, the students endured hunger and exhaustion. “For days, we were only given garri to eat before they later gave us rice. We were constantly on the move and slept in the open. There were no houses, just campfires glowing in the night,” Orakaa said.

After several days of negotiations, the kidnappers dictated the ransom payment process, which eventually led to their release in Taraba State.

“On our way back, we were ferried across the Buruku River,” she added.

Families struggled to secure their release

The parents of the victims expressed their frustration over the lack of action from security agencies, forcing them to negotiate directly with the abductors.

Emmanuella’s mother, Mrs. Ann Perasen, explained how the ransom demand was reduced from ₦40 million to ₦10 million after intense bargaining. “We, the parents, had to come together to raise the money,” she said.

The abductors had specific conditions for the ransom delivery. Those delivering the money were instructed to wear white and bring two packs of Benson cigarettes. Following the exchange, the students arrived home at 11 p.m. on March 5.

According to the kidnappers, they had expected negotiations with the university rather than the parents, emphasizing that their “profession” was abduction for ransom.

Dr Adeyemi Jacob Adepowale, father of Folashade, expressed gratitude for his daughter’s safe return, noting that while the girls initially celebrated their freedom, the trauma quickly overwhelmed them. He urged the university to strengthen security to prevent future.