A Cameroonian, Paddy Arrey Tabot, alongside seven other Nigerians, recently escaped from the captivity of kidnappers, who abducted them in Mai Goro village, Kachia Local Government area of Kaduna State.

The Kaduna Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mansur Hassan, while addressing newsmen revealed that Tabot and five other females were abducted on February 2, 2025 when the kidnappers reportedly stormed the village.

Hassan said that the Cameroonian, who was among those kidnapped was a refugee who fled to Nigeria in search of protection from the violence-ravaged Anglophone region of Cameroon and was recently rescued by the police.

The PPRO, however, said that the victims escaped from the captivity of their abductors, while the sentries stationed to guard them were asleep.

He added that the police rescued the victims after they were seen wandering in a bush near Tsohon Gayan Village in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State after they escaped from the captivity of the bandits.

He said, “On Tuesday, at about 9:30 a.m, operatives of the command encountered seven females, including a Cameroonian, Tabot wandering helplessly around the bush after Tsohon Gayan village.

“They were evacuated and rescued to Toll Gate Divisional Police Headquarters.’

The command’s PPRO further said that preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were allegedly abducted by suspected bandits to an unknown destination on February 2 at about noon.

He said that when debriefed, the victims claimed to have escaped from captivity while the bandits on guard were asleep.

The Cameroonian who spoke with newsmen narrated how he was abducted by bandits immediately after he got to the country.

Tabot, who claimed to have fled to Nigeria, in search of safety, lamented that he found himself in a new security crisis upon arriving in Nigeria.

Tabot, a 40 -year-old private teacher from Buea, South West Region of Cameroon, had been living in fear of his life due to the ongoing Anglophone crisis in his home country.

“I was living in fear of my life; everyday was a struggle to survive. The separatists were targeting teachers, and I was no exception. I had to flee to Nigeria to save my life,” he said.

The Cameroon crisis, which began in 2016 as a peaceful protest against Anglophone marginalisation, escalated into an armed conflict by 2017, resulting in thousands of deaths, displacement of over a million people, and widespread destruction.(Over 400 villages where destroyed)

It was gathered that Tabot’s family was not spared as his brother died as a result of the conflict, leaving behind three children, who Tabot and his wife adopted.

Speaking on the impact of the violence on his family, Tabot added, “My brother was killed in cold blood by the separatists.

“It was a devastating blow to our family. We had to take in his children and provide for them.”

Tabot’s troubles began in February 2021 when he was kidnapped by separatist fighters who demanded a ransom of 5 million Francs CFA.

His family borrowed money to secure his release, but the experience left him shaken.

In March 2022, the separatists came after him and his wife again, burning down their house and destroying all their properties.

“They burned down our house, leaving us with nothing. We had to flee for our lives. It was a terrifying experience,” Tabot said.

It was learnt that the final straw came when Tabot’s village house was also destroyed by the separatists, who targeted him and his wife because they were teachers.

With no other option, Tabot fled to Nigeria, hoping to find safety and start anew.

He added, “It was a harrowing experience. I got kidnapped again in just few years of my stay in Nigeria. I travelled to Kaduna by road for a visit. I was very close to Kaduna when boys from nowhere emerged and surrounded us. I am only lucky to still be alive now. A lot of people were killed there. My captors shot two children dead for walking slowly.

“When they kidnapped us, we were up to 10 in numbers. We began trekking into the forest; we walked from that night until around 5am the next morning. The forest is thick and rocky. Throughout the journey, we didn’t see any house but we saw many Fulanis, especially in the morning, when we were about reaching their main camp.

“When we reached their destination, they instructed us to enter a thatched hut in the middle of the forest. It was a bitter experience.”

Tabot, however, explained that he will face a bigger problem going back, despite the challenges he is facing presently in Nigeria.

“I thought Nigeria would be a safe haven for me, but it seems I am not safe here either, I have been kidnapped in Nigeria.

“I just want to live a peaceful life, free from fear and violence; otherwise, I will raise money at all costs and travel to a better country,” he said.

Giving further updates about the victims, the PPRO said that all the rescued persons were stable, but weak, adding that after being profiled, they were taken to a specialist hospital for immediate medical attention.

He said that the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Yekini Ayoku, has commended the officers and men responsible for the rescue.

He however, urged members of the public to always be vigilant and report suspicious persons or objects in their environment to security agencies.