Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Mohammed Baba Salihu, a resident of Tsaragi in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, has recounted how he survived 141 days in captivity, escaped from two separate bandit camps and spent nine days wandering through the bush before finally reaching safety with eight other captives.
Salihu said he was abducted from his home on May 8, 2026, after armed men invaded Tsaragi at night. According to his account, the gunmen were initially looking for an engineer in the community, but violence broke out and he was eventually taken into the bush.
His account, given after his eventual escape in an interview with Kwara journalist Usman Haruna, describes more than four months of captivity marked by hunger, irregular access to water, a failed ransom handover, repeated displacement and a first escape that ended with him being captured again.
The ordeal finally ended on September 26, when Salihu and eight other captives escaped together and eventually reached Lata Nna, where local residents assisted them before soldiers took custody of the survivors.
How Salihu Was Abducted
Salihu said the ordeal began on the night of May 8 when armed men entered Tsaragi.
According to his account, the attackers had come looking for an engineer in the community and he was not their original target.
He said the situation quickly became violent and that a person was killed before the gunmen turned their attention to him.
“They did not come for me. Something happened, and before I understood what was going on, a person was already dead, and they had turned to me,” Salihu said in the interview.
He was subsequently taken away from the community and moved into the bush.
Reports about the Tsaragi attack at the time also described an armed assault in which a resident was killed and another person was abducted. However, details concerning the circumstances of the attack were initially based largely on local reports rather than a comprehensive public security account.
For Salihu, the incident marked the beginning of a 141-day ordeal that would take him through at least two separate bandit camps.
Life Inside the Bandit Camps
Salihu said he spent months in captivity alongside other abducted people.
The conditions, according to his account, were extremely difficult, with food and water not consistently available.
He said captives sometimes went as long as four days without food and that drinking water was also not provided every day.
“Sometimes it was four days before food reached us. Not just food, even water was never given daily,” he said.
The prolonged deprivation weakened him physically and caused significant loss of weight and muscle strength.
The account is particularly significant because kidnapping stories often focus on the abduction itself or ransom negotiations, while victims may spend weeks or months facing conditions that can cause severe physical deterioration.
In Salihu’s case, captivity was not a short episode. It lasted more than four months and included movement between different locations controlled by armed groups.
Reports based on his interview consistently identify Salihu as the source of the details concerning food shortages, water deprivation and his physical condition.
₦13 Million Ransom Handover Ends in Gunfire
One of the most significant incidents in Salihu’s account involved an attempted ransom payment.
He said two men arrived at one of the camps in connection with a ransom of approximately ₦13 million intended to secure his release.
Instead of producing his freedom, the handover reportedly ended in gunfire.
Salihu said one of the men was shot while the other escaped into the bush.
The wounded man was subsequently brought back to the camp.
According to Salihu, the kidnappers asked whether he knew the injured man. After he confirmed that he did, he was allowed to assist in caring for him.
Salihu said the man initially appeared to be recovering.
“He was getting better. I could see it. He was becoming stronger,” he recalled.
The two men were later separated.
Salihu said he only learned after returning home that the wounded man had died while still in captivity.
The incident illustrates the danger surrounding ransom negotiations in areas where armed kidnapping networks operate. In Salihu’s account, an attempt to secure his release instead became another violent episode during his captivity.
First Escape Turns Into Another Captivity
Salihu eventually managed to escape from one of the camps.
But freedom did not immediately follow.
After leaving the camp, he found himself alone in unfamiliar bush terrain without knowing which direction would lead him home.
He said he spent nine days walking through the bush.
“I did not know the road. I did not know which direction led home. I walked for nine days,” he said.
The journey was particularly difficult because he was already physically weakened by months of captivity and inadequate access to food and water.
After nine days, his attempt to reach safety took another devastating turn.
He encountered another group of armed men and was captured again.
The men took him to another bandit camp, meaning his first successful escape from captivity had not resulted in freedom.
“I thought I had escaped. Instead, I met another set of bandits who took me to another camp. The suffering continued,” Salihu said.
Recaptured and Taken to a Second Camp
Being captured again extended Salihu’s ordeal.
Rather than reaching a settlement or finding security personnel, he was returned to captivity in another location.
The experience highlights one of the difficulties faced by kidnapping victims who escape from remote camps: getting away from captors is only one part of the journey.
Victims may have little knowledge of the surrounding geography, may be physically exhausted and may still be inside an area where several armed groups operate.
For Salihu, those risks became reality.
His first escape was followed by another period in captivity before he eventually found a second opportunity to flee.
Final Escape With Eight Other Captives
Salihu’s captivity finally ended on September 26, 2026.
He said he and eight other captives took advantage of an opportunity when their captors were no longer closely supervising them.
The nine captives escaped together.
According to Salihu, two Fulani men were among the prisoners and could understand some of the conversations between their captors. He said they shared information with the other captives, helping the group understand circumstances around them.
When the opportunity arose, the nine captives made their escape.
Their journey eventually took them out of the bush and toward Lata Nna.
The successful escape brought an end to Salihu’s 141 days in captivity and gave the other eight survivors an opportunity to return to their families.
Survivors Reach Lata Nna
The group eventually arrived at Lata Nna, where local residents received them.
Salihu said some of the escapees were so physically weak that they could barely stand.
“When we finally walked into Lata Nna, some of us could barely stand,” he said.
Local residents provided assistance before soldiers took custody of the survivors.
According to reports based on Salihu’s account, the military subsequently debriefed the escapees before they were reunited with their families.
The arrival at Lata Nna marked an important transition from captivity to safety, but it also exposed the physical toll the ordeal had taken on the survivors.
For Salihu, returning home did not mean that the consequences of captivity had ended.
Recovery After 141 Days in Captivity
Salihu is receiving medical attention following the physical effects of his prolonged captivity.
Reports based on his account say he is being treated for severe dehydration and malnutrition and has lost considerable weight and muscle strength.
He is also being monitored for the psychological consequences of the ordeal.
Recovery from prolonged captivity can extend beyond immediate medical treatment.
A person who has spent months under the control of armed captors may need time to regain physical strength and readjust to normal life.
For Salihu, the immediate priority is therefore recovery after more than four months away from home.
His return also provides an opportunity for security authorities to obtain information about the circumstances of his captivity, including the locations, movements and possible networks involved in his abduction.
Any conclusions from such information would need to come through official investigation.
Tsaragi and the Wider Security Challenge
Salihu’s experience comes against continuing security concerns in Tsaragi and parts of Edu Local Government Area.
Kidnapping and banditry have affected communities across parts of northern Kwara, with residents repeatedly raising concerns about abductions and the difficulty of securing remote communities.
Security agencies have also conducted operations against suspected kidnapping networks.
In June 2026, the Kwara State Police Command was reported to have arrested seven suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate and recovered firearms during intelligence-led operations.
According to the police account reported by The Guardian, preliminary investigations linked the suspects to kidnapping incidents across Ilorin East, Edu, Ifelodun and surrounding areas. Three additional suspects were reportedly arrested in a forest near Tsaragi during a follow-up operation involving forest guards and local vigilante groups.
The police said information obtained from suspects could assist efforts to locate victims believed to remain in captivity and track other members of the network.
The arrests demonstrate that security agencies have been pursuing kidnapping networks in the area. However, the continued reports of abductions also show the scale of the challenge facing communities.
Why the Nine-Day Journey Matters
Salihu’s nine-day journey through the bush is one of the most striking parts of his account.
Escaping from captivity did not mean he immediately knew where safety was.
He had to navigate unfamiliar terrain while already weakened by months of hunger and dehydration.
His experience demonstrates why victims escaping from remote kidnapping camps can remain at serious risk even after leaving their captors.
In areas where forests and difficult-to-access terrain provide hiding places for armed groups, an escapee may encounter another criminal group before reaching a community or security checkpoint.
For security agencies, that reality underlines the importance of rapid response systems and safe routes through areas affected by kidnapping.
For communities, it highlights the importance of being able to recognise and assist survivors without exposing them to additional danger.
The Human Cost of Prolonged Kidnapping
The 141 days Salihu spent in captivity represent more than a statistic.
They represent more than four months away from family, normal routines and personal freedom.
According to his account, the period included hunger, thirst, physical weakness, uncertainty, a failed ransom handover, an attempted escape, nine days lost in the bush and a second capture.
His story also provides a glimpse into the wider human cost of kidnapping-for-ransom violence.
Families can spend months waiting for information about relatives who have disappeared.
Some are forced to negotiate with abductors while trying to raise ransom money.
Others may not know whether their relatives are alive, injured or still being held.
For communities such as Tsaragi, repeated abductions can create fear that affects daily life, movement, economic activity and confidence in the ability of authorities to protect residents.
The Community’s Role
The arrival of Salihu and the other eight escapees at Lata Nna also demonstrates the importance of local communities in responding to survivors.
The group emerged from the bush in a physically weakened condition and required immediate assistance.
Local residents reportedly provided initial support before soldiers took custody of them.
Community cooperation can be particularly important in rural areas where security personnel may not be immediately present.
At the same time, responsibility for long-term security cannot rest on communities alone.
Sustainable improvement requires coordinated action by security agencies, intelligence services, local authorities and residents.
What Happens Next
For Salihu, the immediate priority is continued medical and psychological recovery.
His physical condition will require time and care after the effects of prolonged deprivation.
For security agencies, the escape of nine captives may provide potentially valuable information about the camps from which they fled.
The survivors may be able to assist investigators in understanding how the camps operated, how captives were moved and how different groups were connected.
Such information must be assessed through formal investigation before it can establish the existence or structure of particular criminal networks.
The wider security challenge remains the prevention of further abductions.
Police operations around Tsaragi and other parts of Kwara have produced arrests and weapons recoveries, but sustained intelligence gathering and cooperation with communities will remain important.
Families whose relatives are still missing will also continue to look to security authorities for information and rescue efforts.
A Story of Survival Amid a Continuing Security Crisis
Mohammed Baba Salihu has returned home after 141 days in captivity, but his experience has also renewed attention on the insecurity affecting communities in northern Kwara.
His successful escape is a moment of relief for his family and the other survivors.
But it is also a reminder of the danger faced by residents who live in areas where kidnapping networks can operate from remote terrain.
Salihu’s account shows that captivity can involve much more than the initial abduction. It can mean months of deprivation, uncertainty and physical deterioration, while even an escape may expose a victim to further danger.
His survival therefore carries two messages.
The first is personal: a man who spent more than four months in captivity has returned home and begun the difficult process of recovery.
The second is broader: the security conditions that allowed his abduction remain a concern for communities in the area.
The successful return of nine captives should bring relief, but it should not obscure the continuing responsibility to protect residents, pursue kidnapping networks and assist families whose relatives may still be missing.
For Tsaragi and neighbouring communities, the central question remains whether sustained security operations can prevent other families from experiencing the ordeal that Salihu and his fellow survivors endured.
WENG Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
NupekoTV
The Guardian Nigeria
News Platform Nigeria
Linda Ikeji’s Blog
Stone Reporters News
