It’s nearly the 13th anniversary of being kidnapped and I came across my write-up from right after it happened. Please enjoy!
Hi everyone, this is Ikumi. Following is my story of the events that occurred on March 20th-23rd, 2010.
Simon and I were part of the team setting up a FRMAP (Free Rural Medical Aid Project) in a state close to where I live. We had to pick up some more medical things from where he’s living, which is a 3-6 hour drive (depending on road conditions and who is driving). Anyway, to make a long story short, we heard shooting from behind and then saw people with guns in the front. They also started shooting. We figured it wasn’t so good to reverse so we stopped.
Five guys got in our pickup, squished us in between them in the back seat, and took off down the road, into the bush. I was desperately praying and the Lord spoke to me in prophecy and made three things very clear: 1. I would not be harmed. 2. We would be released in a week. 3. I would be able to talk to the kidnappers about the Lord and our work.
After driving for some time, they stopped and we realized that they had kidnapped six people in all, three men and three women. While we bounced down a dirt road I tried to explain to one of the men (who turned out to be the main boss for that group) about our volunteer work and showed him a brochure so he could see photos of our work and an Activated magazine, which he took and looked over very well. We had also called Josh (one of our people in Lagos and our main project coordinator) to let him know we had been kidnapped.
They looted the cars (they had our Mitsubishi L200 and someone else’s Montero) while Simon and I were praying for safety and protection, claiming the keys and quoting as many verses on protection as we could. We also prayed specifically against mosquito bites (since malaria is a real threat) and food/water poisoning. After waiting in the bush and watching/hearing them beat up two others, they moved us in the Montero into another area deeper in the bush. It was very dark by then. We now got out and walked in the dark to where they told us to sit. We had no idea what was going to happen so we sat there until about half an hour passed. Most of us hostages decided to just lie down and sleep right there on the ground. By then, it had been about 18 hours since Simon and I had any food or water.
The next morning, they brought water in a jerry can and after everyone drank, they started demanding money, telling everyone to call their people, and getting very physical and beating the others up. Most of them came out of that episode with blood running down so that by the time they talked to their people they were in tears or crying out in pain, to show how serious the situation was.
When they got to us, one guy tapped my jaw, asking us why we didn’t want to call our people. I calmly looked up at him and told him I had no phone. He was taken aback and stunned for a moment. Then he went and got the phone for me. I called Josh again and told him the situation and then he talked with the kidnappers.
To make a long story short, Josh did very well in the whole situation as a negotiator. We were also able to speak to the kidnappers and explain to them exactly what we do and where we’ve been, why we were on that road, etc. And by the second evening, they were very calm towards us, although they were still rough to the others.
I had a dream on the first night about finding an MP3 player in my bag (which they had miraculously let me keep from the first day. It had my papers in it), and when I woke I thought of someone’s comment about the iPod. It goes something like this, “To save money on buying an iPod, just think of a tune you like and hum it. When you want to change songs, think of a different song and hum it.” So I had songs going through my head all day long, and Simon told me later that I was singing out loud at times and that it helped him. The encouraging thing was that the next day, Josh told us someone got in prophecy that we should sing to keep up our spirits. I’m just glad I was on the right track. 😀
On the third day, we moved locations on foot deeper in the bush. All I can say is, “Thank the Lord for not letting it rain.” We were outdoors the whole time. I at least had a little plastic bag that I ripped open and lay/sat on that. Simon had something at first, then it was taken from him and then we improvised with leaves and ferns.
Anyway, all throughout I was praying for a way to be closer to the main guy and when we moved he settled himself about three feet away from us. As we talked with some of the other ‘boys’ he started listening in, and then asking questions and commenting, even laughing at my jokes and wit. As the day wore on, I had more and more freedom. I could move when I wanted, stand, sit, do my business without someone watching me, look in their faces, ask for water, food, little things to make like more comfortable, etc. all of which were denied to the others. Most of the time the other men were topless (because of their wounds) and all the others were blindfolded for the most part.
I again say, “Thank the Lord, because He gave me the grace to bear it.” I still can’t get over how unemotional I was during the whole situation. I was thinking, usually, of anything other than the situation I was in. I am topped up in my prayer vigil for all of you, reviewed all the Bible verses I know and have memorized, and planned a few projects in my mind… :p
The third night was ‘the worst’. We were about to lie down to sleep and we heard rapid firing very close by. They bundled us off deeper into the bush, where we dove into a well-covered area and they surrounded us like guards. Turns out some rival gang wanted to kidnap us from our kidnappers. Anyway, we stayed huddled there until they passed by. Then we moved back and settled in again.
Early on the fourth morning, it looked like it was going to rain. Simon and I prayed together desperately for it not to rain. It was about four in the morning and we couldn’t sleep. So we had praise time, we had prayer time, and more time spent reviewing Bible verses and chapters. By then the sun was rising, and the main guy was having everyone call their people for ransom. Josh had been keeping in touch with him the whole time, and the main guy would get very upset at Josh and hang up on him.
This morning, however, he was telling Josh that it was all a mistake, that we were kidnapped by accident, etc, etc, etc. So Josh sent a driver and a vehicle to pick us up and they blindfolded him and took the car to our location. Everyone else had paid their ransom, so we were all going to be set free together. The main guy gave us all a little bit of money to help us get to our next destination. As we walked towards ‘out of the bush’, with one guy in front and one guy behind with an AK47, they tell us to stop. The front guy walks behind the back guy and the back guy cocks his gun. And, yes, my heartbeat went up to double, I’m sure. I’m like, “This is it!!!”
But, no, they now tell us to move and move fast. So off we go in a dash. Well, not so fast. Remember that most of us hadn’t moved so much in the last four days, so people were sweating and cramping and getting out of breath, but they still tell us to move faster, all the way back out of the bush and to a dirt road where we see our vehicle. We all pile in. It’s a five-seater and we fit nine people. All of us hostages had to duck so as to not see where we were going. After driving for some time along bouncy roads, they leave us and tell us which roads to take and not to take.
Apparently, they had caused some trouble at one point so they advised us to not go there if we valued our lives. In any case, we took their advice and ended up in some form of civilization. They had given us our phones back and if they hadn’t caused that trouble we could have gotten our vehicle back too. But we took off for a bigger city closer to Port Harcourt.
Josh had gotten the German and Japanese Embassy involved and they had arranged for an escort vehicle to bring us safely into Port Harcourt. Not just any old escort, we had SSS (State Security Service). If you don’t know how up that is, doesn’t matter… :p After driving more and more and more, we made it to the international airport, where we met up with Jan and Paul (from my mission base) and some people from the Japanese Embassy. They just wanted to greet me and ask how I was, if I was whole in body and mind, etc. One of them called my dad on phone, bowing the whole time *don’t know why they do that*, and then I talked with him for a few minutes. We got on a flight and flew to Lagos, where we met up with Josh and people from the German and Japanese Embassy.
We decided to stay at Josh’s home and the first thing I wanted to do was take a shower. I washed my hair three times and scrubbed my body at least four times for some semblance of cleanliness. Jan and Paul had brought some things that Maria and the girls at home had packed. Two pairs of clean clothing, shoes, socks, underwear, deodorant, soap, toothbrush, and probably more, all of which I used during my stay in Lagos.
Today, I’m breathing a sigh of relief. Josh, Simon, myself, and the guys from the German and Japanese embassies met at the German embassy and had a long meeting. Simon and I went for a physical with their area medical doctor who just *happened* to be in Nigeria at the time. He’s based in Cameroon usually. We finished all the details and I’m advised to move out of Port Harcourt by my embassy. I’m also advised to be registered with them. Etc… I also found out I have high blood pressure, not deadly, but need to be careful. The doctor also warned us about post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Thank you all so much for your support and prayers. I was praying for almost everyone I knew personally, stressing, not for myself, but for all of you, especially my dad, who didn’t know what condition I was in or how I was treated. I kept quoting the Protection Psalm (Psalm 91) and that helped to keep me calm, I’m sure. Prayer and praising the Lord really helped too.
It’s amazing how many little prayers were answered and how many little miracles He did on our behalf. I didn’t get any bug bites, there was no rain at all, we had a shady place to stay, had some food and water, relative freedom, no physical abuse, etc.
Yes, there was loss on our side. Simon and I both had laptops that were stolen. My camera and phone are also gone. We had expenses, flying to Lagos, staying for two nights, and flying back. My Dad and Mom also want to see me, even if only for a short time, which is understandable under the circumstances. But we thank God for life and for caring, loving friends like you who were faithful to be by my side in prayer.
I know it happened for a variety of reasons. Some of them are, but are not limited to:
- So I can sympathize more with people who have nothing. Sometimes we get so comfortable with what we have and complain when we don’t get more. Out in the bush, I was thankful for a small bit of water to wash my hands.
- To have some time off. I had been working so hard without a moment’s break for the last few weeks. Out there without computers, electricity, phones, etc. in nature, relaxing and breathing fresh air.
- So that I could have time to think and pray for others. Some other people have life-threatening illnesses, complications in pregnancies, etc. all of which are scarier than what I had gone through, because of the reassurance of safety and victory I had at the beginning.
- It was a good time to use my gift of prophecy and hearing from the Lord for specific situations, like at the beginning, or when I should talk to the boys, or what I should say, what topics to talk about, etc.
- Yes, it was also the Devil fighting too. Sometimes bad things happen to God’s children, but He always turns it into a victory situation.
- It also helped so many people gather together in prayer, to fight on our behalf. In unity, there is strength.
- We were also able to speak to some of the boys about the Lord and their way of life and get the Word out to them. His Word will never return void.
There were plenty of other pluses, I’m sure. But time and space will fail me to tell them all. I am glad it is over for now. I’ll try to come by and visit as many people as possible. Thanks again for your support in prayer. Please pray with us for the supply of finances for the replacement of some/all of the things we lost and travel expenses. God bless you.
–Ikumi