Rijana Hostages on the Move: Army Sources
By Luka Binniyat and Mike James Odeh James
(Kaduna) – Chief Amos Galadima, a prominent Christian leader in Agamah village, Kajuru County, Kaduna State, was tortured to death in a terrorist camp following his fourth abduction by suspected Fulani Islamist militants, TruthNigeria has learned.
Agamah, a predominantly Adara Christian community, has faced repeated attacks and displacement. Despite being kidnapped three times and pressured to leave, Galadima remained steadfast in protecting his ancestral land.
He suffered his final abduction on January 18, 2025, during a violent raid that saw multiple homes torched and several residents kidnapped, including Galadima, his wife, and sons. The terrorists demanded ₦60 million ($40,000) in ransom. Although some money was raised, Galadima and several other captives were killed before full payment was made.
The beloved Baptist chief was beaten to death on March 18, 2025, having suffered severe torture for 60 days, according to his spouse, Martha Amos Galadima.
Brutal Conditions of the Rijana Forest Hostage Camp
His wife escaped after a military airstrike on the hostage camp on March 25, allowing her and 12 other hostages to run out of the forest. Mrs. Galadima recounted the brutal conditions suffered by dozens of other survivors that TruthNigeria has continuously interviewed since Feb 25.
Male captives were chained, tortured daily, and occasionally executed when ransoms were delayed. Women were tied in pairs, starved, and forbidden to pray. The hostages had no formal shelters.
The Nigerian military has acknowledged the existence of multiple terrorist camps near Rijana town and has vowed to eliminate them.
Terrorists Kidnap Christians from Agameh Town with Impunity
Agamah, a Christian community of approximately 2,500 people, surrounded by open fields in Kajuru County, Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria, has endured repeated violent attacks by armed men believed by locals to be Fulani Islamist herdsmen.
The community belongs to the Adara ethnic group, whose members are predominantly Christian.
Located about 30 miles south of Kaduna metropolis and a mile off the busy Kaduna-Kachia highway, Agamah had been deserted for months following a brutal attack on the night of January 18, 2025.
Christian Chief Refused to Flee
Investigations by TruthNigeria reveal that Chief Galadima, a respected local leader, had previously been abducted three times—once alongside his three children.
“Our chief is the Chairman of the Elders’ Council of Nasara Baptist Church. He vowed never to leave Agamah, saying that doing so would mean the devil had defeated us,” said Marama Linus, a resident.
Linus recounted how, in June 2021, Fulani herdsmen kidnapped Galadima from his farm. The community raised ₦5 million (about $3,500) by selling some of his belongings to secure his release after two weeks.
Again, in September 2023, he was ambushed while driving into the village from the highway. He was held for 28 days before being rescued during a military raid that killed several of the kidnappers.
Despite growing insecurity, Galadima refused to abandon Agamah, even after his wife and children relocated for safety.
Uncertainty Over Chief’s Fate
After citizens in Agamah took up arms in self-defense, they successfully repelled two attempted invasions in 2024.
However, the assault of Jan 18, 2025, proved too intense for the poorly equipped volunteers. Chief Galadima and his wife, who had returned three months earlier, were again kidnapped—his fourth abduction.
“They demanded ₦60 million (about $40,000). But we heard nothing for weeks. We didn’t know whether our chief, his wife, or the others were still alive,” said Nuhu.
Then, a month ago, whispers began to circulate: Chief Galadima was dead. Three other men from Agamah had also been killed. The details remained murky until some of the captives, including Galadima’s wife, escaped the terrorists’ camp on March 27 and shared their harrowing story.
Life in the Bandits’ Camp
In an exclusive interview with TruthNigeria reporters in Agamah last Saturday, Mattah Galadima, the chief’s wife, gave a horrifying account of their captivity.
“They came at night, on January 18, 2025. They overpowered our people and took us away,” she said.
“We trekked for two days without sleep. The men were beaten constantly.”
She said they were taken deep into a dense forest beyond Rijana, a notorious region for terrorist camps.
“They tied us women in pairs, but chained the men to trees. The men were flogged and clubbed several times a day as negotiations for ransom went on,” she recalled.
“They fed us sparingly—sometimes nothing. When untied briefly, we ate wild leaves out of hunger,” she said, adding that there were over 200 hostages in the camp at any time.
“When ransom wasn’t coming fast enough, they would shoot a hostage—on the orders of their boss, who visited occasionally,” she said.
“Three young men kidnapped with us were shot dead in front of us.”
“My husband begged them to allow our people to retrieve the bodies for burial, but they refused. They dumped the corpses in what I believe is a river,” she said.
Escape Under Fire
The following afternoon, fighter jets bombed the camp.
“Some bandits and hostages were killed in the blasts. Then soldiers came and exchanged fire with the terrorists. That was our chance to escape,” she said.
She and others fled in different directions.
“We walked for two days and nights. Eventually, we reached a field with signs of a road. We followed it and met a man tapping palm wine. He took us to safety,” she said.
They spent three days in a nearby village recovering before being evacuated back home.
Another Survivor Speaks
Zainab Ajiya, 42, a mother of three, was among 18 hostages abducted on January 18. She shared her own ordeal with TruthNigeria.
“That place is a home of intense suffering,” she said.
“They forbade us from sleeping. They told us that in our homes, we prayed to Jesus. But in the bush, they were our god, because they determined if we lived or died.”
“They claimed they were promoting their religion and destroying ours by kidnapping us and using the ransom money for their mission,” she added.
“I saw at least 10 men executed. Chief Galadima and his bodyguard were among them.”
Airstrike and resulting chaos.
During the air strike on the terrorists March 25, Mrs Galadima recalls that bombs exploded everywhere, killing criminals and hostages alike.
“I don’t know how we survived. I believe it was the power of silent prayers,” she said.
Final Escape
She and others walked for two days before reaching a village she couldn’t name—likely near Maro town. From there, they were taken to a hospital before returning home.
Luka Binniyat and Mike James Odeh contribute to TruthNigeria from Kaduna, Nigeria.
