We were Tortured, Flogged, Drank Muddy Water in Kidnappers Den, Reveals Freed Law Student
One of the six Nigerian Law School students recently released from captivity in Benue State has opened up about the harrowing experience they endured at the hands of their abductors.
In an exclusive audio interview with the media on Monday, David Obiorah recounted how he and his colleagues were tortured daily, fed only once a day, and made to drink muddy water while held in a forest along the Zakibiam-Wukari axis.
“They flogged us with tree stems. They gave us rice that looked like amala, mixed with palm oil. It was horrible. And the only water we drank was muddy,” Obiorah said.
The student, visibly shaken, said the kidnappers had diverted their vehicle into the forest and held them in a small hut where they were subjected to constant beatings.
“I thought we were going to be killed when they drove our bus into the bush. I was terrified. Eventually, they said they don’t kill people. But they beat us every single day,” he said.
The six students were abducted on Saturday, July 26, 2025, while travelling from Anambra State to the Nigerian Law School campus in Yola, Adamawa State.
While the Benue State Police Command claimed in a Friday statement that the students were rescued by security forces, Obiorah dismissed the claim as false.
“For the record, the Nigeria Police did not rescue us. The Nigerian Law School did not rescue us. Every one of us paid N10 million to secure our release,” he stated.
According to Obiorah, one of the students was released earlier without ransom, which he attributed to his youthful appearance. “They said he looked like a minor because of his baby face,” he said.
He noted that the abductors, estimated to be around 10 in number, primarily spoke the Tiv language. After the abduction, their getaway vehicle reportedly broke down, forcing them to transport the captives deeper into the forest using motorcycles.
“We were kidnapped around 9 p.m. and didn’t get to their hideout until 11:30 p.m. There, we met four other captives — one female and three males, including a corps member named Wisdom,” he recalled.
The captives were split into separate huts. While the male victims were kept together, the female was isolated and held in the hut of the alleged gang leader.
“She was alone with their boss the whole time. We were all scared. They tortured us daily. Only four of them had guns, but they were all armed with machetes and other sharp weapons,” he said.
Obiorah described the location as a remote settlement where women cooked for the captors and children roamed freely.
“The women cooked for us — just once a day. The same food they ate. It seemed the villagers knew what was going on. Small children would watch us whenever we were brought outside,” he recounted.
He identified the gang leader as “Matthew”, whom he said carried himself like a soldier.
“Matthew looked like someone with military experience. The way he commanded the others and moved — it was like being in a military camp. The entire village appeared complicit,” he said.
The account paints a chilling picture of insecurity and impunity, especially as kidnapping cases continue to rise across northern Nigeria, with victims often left to negotiate their freedom without institutional support.
