Ishaya Kukah, the brother of Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, has spoken out about his harrowing experience after being rescued from a kidnappers’ hideout, where he endured days of torment and lost hope of surviving.
During a handover ceremony in Abuja, where he and 59 other rescued victims were reunited with their families, Kukah described the cruel treatment he and others suffered while in captivity.
The rescue operation was carried out by the Nigerian Army’s 1 Division in Kaduna, with support from top government officials, including NSA Nuhu Ribadu and Defence Minister Abubakar Badaru.
“Honestly, I had lost hope. I never thought I would make it out alive due to the severe conditions we faced,” Kukah confessed.
He detailed the brutal conditions of captivity, including being shackled with other victims, forced to relieve themselves in pairs, and frequently beaten.
“We endured unimaginable suffering. They chained us in pairs. If you needed to go to the bathroom, you had to move together,” he said.
Kukah also shared how the captors tortured their victims to pressure their families into paying ransom, punishing those who refused with violent beatings.
Expressing gratitude for the government’s intervention, he credited the authorities for saving their lives.
“Without the federal government, we would still be stuck in the bush. Thank you for everything. God bless you,” he said.
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