I wish to share a terrible experience I had on Thursday 1 September 2016, along Kaduna-Abuja highway at about 9pm. I had good intelligence on the security situation and considered that it was still ok to move based on that knowledge. I and a family friend were travelling to Abuja and we had left by 6pm. Our car had some problems and we finished fixing it by 8pm. We then proceeded on the trip. We had just passed Redeemed Camp, by Alheri, where we saw 2 white coloured J5 buses. The last mileage I saw was 138 KM to Zuba & I saw the 2 buses along the road parked left and right on the shoulders. I told my friend that this looked like a kidnap spot, that it had all the features like a bend and a slope with the buses. My friend then screamed that they were throwing knockouts at us immediately I finished saying that. I quickly realized that it was gunfire from AK-47. Three men stood in front of the road firing at us. I slammed the brakes, the car veered right and I decided to continue right, off the road. I was able to stop the car before a ditch I saw. I tried to reverse but it didn't engage, the car engine went off and some attempts to restart it failed. Then one of them ran to me, I came out of the car with my hands up, so also my friend. Then, I turned back and started pacing. The guy that came for me looked like a foreigner, from Niger. Then we bolted. They started firing at us. Then someone came from our initial behind and started shooting at us. We managed to cross the road with nothing in sight; No cars etc. We couldn't even see the road divider. Then we both crossed the road. They chased us and kept shooting. That was how we escaped and pinned down in the bush. Immediately we were on the other side of the road we entered the bushes and kept running. During this time, for over 2hrs they came with their car patrolling in search for us. Later the police came, there seemed to been some collaboration amongst them. I lost my Fone and other valuables, but my luggage in the booth was intact as the booth didn't open since it was a 406. It happened like a movie but its real. They weren't herdsmen,They were the kidnappers along that axis. They exist in some areas up north.
Don't travel when it's dark.
Always watch out well in bends, slopes and hills.
Be careful about any checkpoints, not all checkpoints are real.
The police helped to stop all cars when the operation started with us to enhance smooth operation by the kidnappers.
The kidnappers were operating under the cover of two police checkpoints in about a kilometre apart.
The police tried to take us back to the scene which I refused clearly and instead called on the army.
That was what forced the police to take us to the nearest army post.
Don't travel when it's dark as it increases the risk, but note also that same technique would work even in day time.
Lessons learnt:
If uve to run for ur life take the first chance and don't be afraid of the gun when ur running.
Usually, guns are effective at close range.
Most people including uniformed men are poor shooters especially when it has to do with moving targets; this fact is unknown to many including the uniformed men.
I've seen fire but not this sort of unexpected fire.
If ur car breaks down on the road and ur stranded, do not remain inside it or near it. My advise is for u to cross the road and look for a nearby village. An abandoned car would always attract anyone including criminals. If uve to flee into the bush in a pursuit, run in a diagonal axis to the road.
In a near death experience u don't bother about the things u did, u worry more about the things u didn't do.
The kidnappers were actively collaborating with the police.
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