A man identified as Mohammed Baba Salihu has recounted how he escaped from two bandit camps in Kwara State after spending 141 days in captivity, including nine days walking through the bush without knowing his way home.
Salihu, who was abducted from his home in Tsaragi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, on May 8, 2026, said he was moved between at least two bandit camps during his captivity.
According to his account, the ordeal began when armed men invaded Tsaragi at night, reportedly looking for an engineer in the community. Salihu said the situation escalated after a person was killed, leading to his abduction.
During his captivity, Salihu said a ransom payment of about ₦13 million was delivered in an attempt to secure his release, but the handover reportedly ended in gunfire.
He said one of the men involved in the ransom delivery was shot, while another escaped into the bush.
Salihu recounted that the wounded man was later brought to the camp, where he helped care for him. Although the man initially appeared to be recovering, they were later separated, and Salihu subsequently learnt that the man had died in captivity.
The survivor also described the harsh conditions in the bandits’ camps, saying captives were sometimes left without food for as long as four days and were not given water regularly.
Nine days in the bush
Salihu said his first attempt to escape from captivity did not immediately bring freedom.
After leaving the first camp, he found himself lost in the bush and spent nine days walking without knowing the direction to his home.
“I did not know the road. I did not know which direction led home,” he recounted.
His attempt to regain freedom took another turn when he encountered another group of bandits, who reportedly captured him and took him to a second camp.
The captivity therefore continued despite his initial escape attempt.
Final escape
Salihu eventually escaped again alongside eight other captives, bringing the total number of survivors who fled the camp to nine.
The group reportedly took advantage of an opportunity when they noticed that they were not being closely monitored and escaped together.
They eventually reached Lata Nna, a community in Kwara State, where locals received them before they were handed over to soldiers and reunited with their families.
Salihu said he was among those who could barely stand when they arrived in the community after the ordeal.
The survivor is now receiving medical attention as he recovers from the physical effects of his prolonged captivity, including severe dehydration, malnutrition and significant loss of weight and muscle strength.
His account comes amid continuing concerns over kidnapping and banditry in parts of Kwara State, particularly communities around the Edu, Ifelodun and Patigi axis.
