“We survived on stolen potatoes” — abduction victim recounts 22 days of starvation in captivity

AND survived of kidnapping and banditry shared the harrowing story of how hunger and thirst became daily battles during the weeks spent in captivity, revealing the grim reality facing kidnapped victims across Nigeria.

The survivor said he was abducted along with 10 others and was forced to trek deep into the forest from day one.

According to his testimony, the long journey to the hideout of the bandits was accompanied by exhaustion and a severe lack of food.

Forced trekking and stolen agricultural products

During the journey, the victims survived thanks to food from nearby farms. The bandits allegedly ordered them to dig up yams and harvest corn, which they did cooked on an open fire and distributed among the prisoners.

Upon arrival at the camp, conditions worsened. Some of the kidnappers brought raw rice, cooked without spices or oil, and poured it on plastic bags for the victims to eat. The food, he said, barely got around before it was finished.

Wracked with hunger and weakness, the survivor said the experience broke him emotionally and physically.

Lack of food and common water

After 22 days, he was transferred to another group, where the meals consisted mainly of ground Guinea corn prepared by the runner, sometimes with salt and sometimes without.

The survivor said meals were often limited to once or twice a day, while water was strictly limited, with several prisoners sharing one liter each.

The only relief came during long journeys when they were occasionally allowed to drink more water.

Looking back on the ordeal, the survivor said he still struggles to understand how he endured the hunger, thirst and uncertainty.

He expressed gratitude to God and his mother whose sacrifices, he said, helped ensure his return home.

His account has renewed online conversations about the brutal conditions in which kidnap victims live and the urgent need to address insecurity.

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