Her facebook name is Maranatha Innocent.
The 8th of March 2017 will forever remain a day to remember. So I went to the bank to withdraw some money since my mum needed it that evening and I wouldn't be back home until 5pm. Of course banks will be closed by then so I had to withdraw that morning. Like every other day, I left for school after I finished from the bank (cake school).
Funny enough I closed early that day. Left the bakery, couldn't get a bike, had to walk down the road before I saw an okada. Good afternoon, good afternoon. Behind midway inn (from makurdi club) how much??100 naira. Okay. And off we went. For those of us who are familiar with makurdi, after tito gate, savannah round about, katsina ala street and then still on katsina ala street, by the sharp bend heading to bank road, there`s Word Aflame and then where they dump refuse.
Na im this oga stop say im won piss. Well of course I have taken bikes before and they have stopped to "piss" and there after, our journey continues. So when this oga stopped, I didn't suspect anything fishy. I backed him while he was doing his business and I stood there "pressing phone". Next thing, a vehicle pulled over in front of me, three guys came down. One from the driver`s seat, and two from the passengers side. Those from the passengers side walked up to me while the other came down and leaned by the door.
After we exchanged pleasantries, they asked for directions to"Tionsha". I turned to describe the place, and thats all I can remember.
Ghen! Ghen!! It was like I was sleeping and woke up in a certain room. My hands tied behind me, legs tied in front, my mouth was also tied. Three other ladies were there who were also tieds,, we all sat on the floor. The room was painted yellow, it had two doors. One for the toilet and the other led outside. There was a table and a chair, a wall clock, a ceiling fan and it was all ruged.
I have never been soo scared in my life. You know the feeling of crying over and over again. Confessing your sins over and over and making several promises to God if only He will deliver me and help me leave there alive. The guys came in to keep watch over us wearing masks, there would sit and stare at us while we cry in our hearts since we couldn't cry out.
Well, that was on a Wednesday. We were there till Saturday without food or water. The only Communication we had was if we wanted to go to toilet. You either nod or shake your head.
So on Saturday, at about past 4pm, a man walked in with something like a walking stick in a white agbada, bare feet and a turban tied around his head. I sat on the floor by the door, he walked pass me and went to the lady at the end of the room. He placed the staff over her head. Nothing happened and then he gave her a dirty slap. He then placed it again and it made a sound of a welding machine. (When two metals are been weld together)My heart was pounding inside my chest, sweating like I have never sweated before.
The uncle placed it on the head of both the second and third ladie, and it made the same sound effortlessly. And then it was my turn. Still sweating and shaking like a leaf. He then placed it over my head, lo and behold, no sound. And then he gave me the most dirty slap I have ever received. He adjusted it and placed it over my head again. Still no sound. And that was how he ordered that I should be taken out. They quickly blind folded me, raised me and it was like I fell asleep again. And when I woke up, it was night already. I was bare feet. Everything was gone. Looking homeless, scattered, shattered and battered. Extremely weak.
So, I found myself in front of Loekka International Academy, staggered to the road, sat on the walk ways trying to gather the remaining strength I had. Stopped several bikes but since I looked homeless, they just drove off immediately. I was able to stop one who kept looking at me while I tried to mutter my house address. Well, I got home safe, though extremely traumatized. After the horror movie that kept playing in front me.
This is my story.
Lessons I Learnt From My Kidnap
1.) Know God for Yourself
I am glad I know . It is the best decision I have ever made. Not just to know God but know him personally. Who ever wrote those lines (...recieve Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour...) wrote them by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit because, personally, He's my Lord and He has saved me. I believe the prayers offered to God and my desire s too were granted because I am related to God. (Where relationships are established, things are achieved easily).
Just like Hezekiah, I didn't just turn my face against the wall, I was already with the wall and presented my strong reasons. I put him into remembrance and praise God, He did it. When you serve God, He will service you. Service to God pays.
If you haven't met him or know him on a personal level, my dear its not too late. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.
2.) There's Nothing Like Family
There were times while growing up that I wished I grew up in another house and was born in to another family. But trust me, the grass ain't always greener at the other side. I'm glad those wishes didn't came to pass.
Aside my parents and siblings, there are friends who have stood the test of time and proven themselves as family because, trust me, family ain't always about blood. There are friends who are like the roots of a tree in your life. They don't always show themselves but they are there to hold you up. I'm glad and grateful to God that I have such people in my life.
3.) Don't Be Tragedy Driven
So I heard of a man who felt really uneasy within himself and decided to go and see a doctor. His blood samples were taken for tests but the doctor advised he stay back till the results were out. Unfortunately, he died the next day. His brother on the day of his burial was lamenting how he hadn't seen his late brother in a long while but since he didn't hear of anything wrong with him, he didn't see the necessity to visit him and kept procasting checking on him until he died.
What I'm trying to say is this. Lets not be tragedy driven. We can't say how long we will be alive. Let's not complicate life. If you miss someone, call them. If you love someone, tell them. If you're confused or heard something about someone, communicate. Don't wait until something goes wrong with them. There are people who I haven't seen nor heard from since 2008, and because of my kidnap, they called, some even came over to my house and I'm like, what if, just what if I died?? I wouldn't know they cared that much. Others calling to let me know just how much they love me. If not for God's intervention in my life, I wouldn't know, and they wouldn't have had the opportunity to say all that.
Lets not be tragedy driven. Yes, we all pray for long life but if God calls you home the next minute I hope your loved ones would know just how much you loved them . Lets not wait until something goes wrong before we show and say just how much we love and care for each other.
Appreciation
First of all, I thank God for giving me a second chance to live and express His glory.
My sincere thanks goes to
My parents
El shaddai Family
Refuge Theatre Family
God's House of Refuge
Dr Dara Ezekiel Atang
Mr and Mrs Isaac Igbe
Maranatha Igbe
Sena Xena
Samuel Joseph
Emmanuel Bee Etim
Daniel Dotty Sesugh Shabu
Torkuma Shabu
Samuel Shabu
Sybil Doofan Tsar
Bishop Benjamin T. Bulaun
Faith Innocent
CaptainEdet D LaffCommanda
Lami Manga
DelightDoom Bur Adama
Thank you for your Labour of love and sincere affection you've shown during and after my kidnap. I'm most grateful.
To everyone who shared my sister's posts of me missing, who wished for my safe return, who both whispered and said a prayer for me, I'm most grateful.
To everyone who called and came visiting to both encourage and see how I'm doing, I say thank you. I'm really grateful. Thank you for the gifts and prayers.
Finally, to Love Dooshima Gema my one and only sister. I really don't know what I did or have done to deserve you, but God gave you to me. I lack words to express my gratitude. Thank you for standing up for me, believing in me and supporting me. I love you beyond words. My sister, my forever friend.
Here I am everyone. I'm fine, though I still have a lot of flash backs so, I try to keep my self busy so I don't get lost in thoughts. I now sleep peaceful compared to few weeks ago when I got back.
My appetite is back, thanks to the multivitamins my mummy constantly gives. Life goes on no matter what. God is still faithful. He has given me a second chance and I hope to live for his glory. My roots are getting deeper and stronger in God. Join me Thank this great God for this which He has done.
Let Love reign
Let Love reign
Wow. Thank God for her😱😱😱
ReplyDeleteSeriously thank God for her life o, things are really happening in this country o. May God deliver & protect us all
DeleteThank God for her life.
DeleteYour comment will be visible after approval.
God is Faithful
DeleteThank you JESUS.
DeleteHis mercies endureth forever, thank God for your sister poster.
DeleteDoes it means those other gurls will be killed?
In all of this, she didn't Learn to be security conscious. Bike man dey piss, you were pressing phone.
DeleteThank God. It is also good to pray for people out there who are missing. You never know who your prayers would save.
Delete" Only u can do, What no man can do,only u can do, what no man can do " this song is my everything, everyday I see pples miracles which only HIM GOD can indeed do. She carry 2 heads (MBA) but she was saved cos of him God! The earlier Pple embrace the lord d best for everyone. Thank God almighty for ur journey to d pit of darkness and back! It's only him and him alone.
DeleteWhat tribe is she? I don't even recognise any of the names there am I in this Nigeria? Is she akwa ibom? Or tiv?
DeleteTHANK God for you
DeleteI thank God for ur life.
DeleteThank God for your life. May God be praised.
DeleteAnon 16:50, she's Tiv from Benue state
DeleteThank God that did this job for you.
ReplyDeleteNa wa ooo. I send our cleaner to go ATM collect money for me. Make i start to dey call her now. I no want stories
My goodness. I pray against something like this everyday. May God keep keeping us safe. Really life shouldnt be so complicated. You miss someone,call them,you love someone,tell them.
DeleteYori Yori you must be the most stupid person on earth to trust your cleaner with your ATM card and pin. After now,when it happens,you will be wondering why? Common sense is not common at all.
DeleteAnon 16:32, must u insult her? Why are most anon so uncouth? Pls take some honey for ur bitterness.
DeleteAnon 16:32, must u insult her? Why are most anon so uncouth? Pls take some honey for ur bitterness.
DeleteJESUS!
ReplyDeleteThank God for your life
ReplyDeleteWe serve a living God,Obaseohun,Alagbara,The One that knows the end from the beginning
ReplyDeleteSMH..!! 😨😨😨😨😨 what a Glorious God..!!!! Only God knows what happened to the other girls..!!!
ReplyDeleteOh God thà t trauma.... God was with you. You have overcome this and you will be just fine. I have learnt a lot in fact if I take an okada once he says he wants to piss I will drop his money and run for my life till I meet another okada.smh
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in school, 100l similar thing happen to me, I still have the scar from the burnt I got from the yeye bike man exhaust, our God is indeed a faithful God.
DeleteAll glory to God
ReplyDeleteNawa o! This is a great testimony!!! Jeeeez! I really thank God for you. No where is just safe again, everyone will just have to be extremely careful. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI thought the first lesson will be don't ever allow okada man to stop and piss. That's d fist lesson ohhh.na wa
DeleteThank God just keep serving him
ReplyDeleteWas so scared while reading this. You were really lucky. Those other girls knew God too but sadly their time was up!😩
ReplyDeleteI hope u read that she has an existing relationship with God. There's a difference between knowing God and having a relationship with God. God cannot never forsake His own, it will always end in praise no matter d battle. I'm not suprise reading this. If i tell my own stories, it will shock a lot. Believe me when i say GOD IS GREAT
DeleteWaoh! Miracle worker, Promise keeper, May your name be praised. Thank you for what you have done, what you will do and you are doing. Amen!
ReplyDeleteAmen.
DeleteGod w Awesome.
Yes, God is a miracle worker! Promise keeper!
DeleteGod gave you a second chance, all glory to his name.
ReplyDeleteMay we never fall into the hands of the wicked in Jesus name o
Amen.
DeleteTankGod
ReplyDeleteWow! Thank God
ReplyDeleteHalleluyah
ReplyDeleteSo scary......... Thank God for ur life lady.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteMaranatha, what a great name. The name means "come Lord Jesus "
Congratulations dear, your name really answered for you.
That's why we have to be careful with the names we give to our children.
And who asked for the meaning of her name? Mtcheeeeeeeew.
DeleteAnon even on this post you must show your bile? What is wrong with what she said? It's not her fault if you named your children foolishly.
DeleteHmmmmm. Thank God for second chance to live
ReplyDeleteGod be praised!
ReplyDeletewow may He alone get all the glory.
ReplyDeletefunny but all thanks to God
ReplyDeleteyou are a good writer
#GODWIN™
God be praised. This is just the handwork of GOD
ReplyDeleteI Thank God for your life,
ReplyDeleteThank God!
ReplyDeleteThis pressing of phone makes us security unconcious. Glad she's back. I wonder what happened to the other ladies.
ReplyDeleteThank God for you
ReplyDeleteThank You God. Only you can change any situation!
ReplyDeleteI was robbed like this as a corper serving in makurdi. I was returning from a pharmacy one night. This happened not far from were this lady was kidnapped. I stopped a bike in front of the pharmacy, this was around 8pm. I also bought recharge card from the pharmacy, so I was loading the card when I stopped the bike. In makurdi then, once its 8pm, police used to disturb bike men once it gets dark in some particular areas. so this bike man carried me. As we were going he said that he wanted to take a different route because of police. Mumu me coupled with the fact that I was sick agreed. That's how he took me to an unknown street and told me that he wanted to piss. That was when it dawned on me that I was in danger. I wanted to run but fear did not allow me. This guy finished pretending to be pissing. I started to walk away quickly, this guy began chasing me. He caught up with me and asked me for my phone- a bold 2. We were dragging the phone, he now shouted in a very strong tiv accent- you know no say I be tiv man. I just released the phone. He jumped on his bike and left. I was just thanking God that the thief didn't hurt me.
ReplyDeletePraise thy lord, alleluia. Thank God for you sis
ReplyDeleteThe other girls might have prayed more than you. Don't make it seem like you are closer to God than the others and that's why you were spared. I'm sorry you went through that terrible ordeal and I pray God heels you of the trauma. I also pray the other ladies are saved.
ReplyDeleteMadam/oga judgina. Weldone. She knows her relationship with God....prayer does it for her
DeleteABI ohh. Maybe they we're virgins or on their period or someyhing . these fetish people only God knows. Or maybe it was just not your time.
DeleteVery correct! It can only be grace. None is too good or too bad to receive God's mercies. Who He wills, He saves. Thanks to God for this miracle
Delete@NaiveNigerian you know.... you are actually right. Infact that comment is as if you just spoke to me personally. Thanks for that.
DeleteThat is God at work.
ReplyDeleteAwwww!!! I'm so touched. Know God for yourself. So true...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad this experience had made you a better person, we need to stop playing church goers and develop a lasting and strong personal relationship with Christ.
Trials and temptations may come, but God in His mercies will always deliver his own children.
Cheers..
Thank God for your life. Only heaven knows what happened to the other girls.
ReplyDeleteLord save us from all these atrocities.
Stories like this scare me all the time, because it can be anybody.
ReplyDeleteThe woman that was beheaded last week or so, it was my area in badagry. I had goose bumps when I read it and kept imagining what if it was someone I knew.
May God keep us all safe.
Awesome God ! Theres no one like u, king of kings, lord of lords!
ReplyDeleteThank God! God please shield us from harm daily and please please forgive us for the times we forgot to thank you for your protection!
ReplyDeleteOmg, thank God for your life.
ReplyDeleteSo we have mkd bvs here? Funny enough I schooled in Loekka o
God, thank you for this your child.
ReplyDeleteKeep us all, in Jesus name. Amen!!
Thank God for that. I also want 2 thank God too coz i entered army robber car they took all my belonges and then through me out of the car.I thank God that i only sustained injuries but not dead or crushed by a moving car or even raped.
ReplyDeleteThank God for you. I schooled in Makurdi and I'm still there....terrible things happen there...that is why i never talk to anyone asking for description to a place.
ReplyDeleteI can't stop imagining what happened to the other girl....my God
This life is more spiritually than physical! I can recount my experience. I don't really know what the man wants to achieve but here it goes. When I was still single, went out to meet one of my aunts friend that's suppose to help me and get a job though was working. Around 7pm, on my way home. School road Elelenwo. Entered Keke, they started argument wanted to fight and we all dispatched to another Keke. The empty that I entered alone, just a pole, a fat man on short with bagco bag entered in Miracle close for those familiar and stop in Vine hotel just a stone throw walkable distance that wouldn't take him 3mintues he's a middle age man in his 50s. As he entered immediately, he told me that my face is familiar am I from Akwa ibom hia! Cos he's an elderly man I answered no. He said what's is your name hia. I just said me English name wey I no dey answer. He asked another question and told him sir abeg free me. I did nawa oh and playfully hit my shoulder Haa. I rejected it and send it to him. My people, na so the shoulder they pain me like say person break am. I came back told my elder but she took it lightly. I keep suspecting is not just normal. Brethren! Na so your sister slept and I keep seeing beast faces oh. I didn't understand. I prayed before sleeping oh. Till around 1:30 that I slept. Within how many minutes oh I felt myself been lifted as in my spirit wanting to leave the house in my sleeping position to a particular height almost half to the roof. That was how I struggle and I came back. I didn't sleep that night. I prayed oh, I no do! I said rosary, I prayed father Mbaka powerful prayer of untimely death till day break. My sister thought I was paranoid or rather na dream. But, I was sure it wasn't normal. The shoulder he hit me playfully pained me for two weeks. Since then, whether you're young or old, I answer to questions oh, familiarity oh. Only God that see and knows all saved me that night. And cos I know God and he was merciful.
ReplyDeleteThis story just brought my brain back to default settings. Father forgive me for being such an ungrateful daughter. This could have been me yet you continually allow evil to pass over me.
ReplyDeleteThank God for your life sister
Thank God for you.
ReplyDeleteAnon 16:32 you must be stupid to think everyone is like you. I give my ATM password to trusted people. So keep shut
ReplyDeleteI still maintain that you are the biggest fool this world has ever seen. Even the bank will tell you never to tell anyone your password. Anyway,i know it is because the maximum you have ever had in your account is 10K.
DeleteIs well
ReplyDeleteThank you Jesus,all glory be to the almighty.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible says we shall not die but live to declare the works of the Lord. I bless God for your life!!!!
ReplyDeleteAt poster,I appreciate God for His wonderful testimony in your life .
ReplyDeleteThank you Jesus.
You are so Good.
Marvelous God ..
God is indeed faithful...I was almost a victim.Entered keke,along golden springs estate going to gwaladima junction.Story is long but I thank God for giving me the courage to jump out of the keke.
ReplyDeleteWow. We bless the Lord
ReplyDeleteNigeria is such a hot mess. Don't get me wrong, thank God you are ok, however a country that runs on prayers alone is DOOMED. So no CCTV cameras, no police force, no FBI/CIA, no finger printing, no criminal profiling, ABSOLUTELY NO INVESTIGATIONS.
ReplyDeleteWhat a country. Smh
Star
Oh my! Thus is such a testimony! God did it again! I love what she said about knowing God personally. There's nothing like that kind of relationship with God. May God satisfy everyone reading this with long life!
ReplyDeleteTouching story
ReplyDeleteThank God for a second chance to live,use it wisely. I feel sad for the other girls.
ReplyDeleteOur God is a great God!
ReplyDeleteThank God for you dear.
ReplyDeleteThey are ritualist, your head was too stronge for them.. Thank God..
ReplyDeleteHmmmm
ReplyDeleteThank you Jesus
ReplyDelete