I was in the rain for 48 hours with hands, legs tied – Freed Niger commissioner

Niger State commissioner for Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Muhammad Sani Idris, on Friday, narrated his four-day encounter while in captivity.

Idris was abducted on August 9 by bandits, who invaded his home in Tafa LGA of Niger State.

He regained his freedom on Thursday.

Speaking during a TVC programme on Friday, Idris described his experience with the abductors as “dehumanising and humiliating”.

The commissioner said he spent 48 hours under the rain, with his hands and legs tied.

“We thank God for everything, but it is not an experience that I will pray for even my worst enemy. It was dehumanising; it was humiliating; it was degrading — just name it. But we thank God for scaling through,” he said.

“They took me to a no man’s land, in the middle of nowhere and I was there exposed to the rains for 48 hours with neither food nor water given to me, with my hands and legs tied just to break me. But in the long run, God was there for me and I was able to remain focused and I was able to remain sane. We thank God for that favour.

“They explained to me that they see my own as a high profile kidnap and they planned it very well. They came with their team from everywhere to ensure that they succeed.”

Idris, who described his release as a miracle, said no money was paid to secure his freedom.

“I was not rescued and I didn’t pay any ransom. Nobody paid any ransom. It was just miraculous. When they started, they were very hard on me. They pushed me to a limit that you will never expect a human being to still be resilient,” the commissioner said.

“But I give God the glory. Even when they were beating me, I was telling them that they should rethink this thing they are doing. They think that this thing they are doing is welcomed, and it is favoured in the sight of Allah, in the sight of humanity.

“Instead of breaking me, I started breaking them. They gave me bread; they started giving me water. They untied me and they began to show concern. Even when we were exposed to the rains, at night, they would sleep in the rain and then they would allow me to use a tarpaulin to cover myself.

“In the long run, I believe it was a miracle. God touched their hearts and they felt I should just go to my family,” Idris added.

The commissioner said he is undergoing medical observation, adding that he is hale and hearty.

Also, while speaking with journalists at his residence in Minna, the Niger State capital, on Friday, Idris said he would have resigned if the government had paid ransom to secure his release.

He appreciated the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, for maintaining the policy of non-ransom payment to bandits.

The commissioner at the parley with journalists was seen with his daughter who he said witnessed the incident and the brutality on him before he was whisked away.

The commissioner’s son, Faisal Idris, said the family was happy that their father has been reunited with them and credited God for the release.