Full Story
By Mike Odeh James and Luka Binniyat
Kaduna – They walked out of terrorist hell, but with their eyes still fixed on the prize.
Recounting a 100-day nightmare, 25 Nigerian Pentecostals emerged on April 1, 2025, from a kidnap-torture enclave nestled in the forested hills of Rijana, Chikun County, Kaduna State, Northwestern Nigeria.
The victims, released following the payment of brutal ransoms by their kith and kin, identified their captors as armed men of the Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM).
The ordeal began in early December 2024, when armed men stormed Banti-Nasarawa village in Kauru County—120 miles northeast of Kaduna metropolis—killing four residents and abducting more than 35 individuals. The kidnapped included a one-week-old baby, a six-year-old girl, and two 12-year-old girls.
The captives were force-marched for three and a half days to the notorious, hilly terrain of Rijana, approximately 13 miles southwest of Kaduna city. Islamist bandit-terrorists there operate a sprawling camp, hidden beneath dense forest canopy, according to survivors and multiple, confidential informants.
TruthNigeria exclusively reported Feb. 25, 2025, the release of eight captives following a ransom payment of N40 million ($27,000). The evacuation team included members of Iowa-based Equipping the Persecuted and Nigeria-based Equipping the Needy Initiative, operating out of Maro town in Kajuru County, approximately 60 miles south of Kaduna.
A Modern-Day Concentration Camp in Rijana
According to findings by TruthNigeria, the Rijana base includes at least five interconnected camps located deep within the forested hills just beyond the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway. Satellite imagery reveals a wide stretch of uncharted forest connecting the counties of Kauru, Kajuru, and Kachia to the Rijana area.
Sources estimate that hundreds of Nigerian Christians are held in brutal conditions comparable to World War II-era concentration camps.
According to one survivor, 40-year-old Esther Moses, two of her relatives were executed in the camp, while another died of starvation.
“We ate once every two weeks, or whenever the terrorists chose to feed us,” Esther told our reporter from her hospital bed at Dan Daura Christian Hospital in Kauru County.
“Most days, we scavenged for leftovers—usually spoiled food discarded by the bandits.”
“To survive, we ate leaves, wild vegetables, and certain grasses—just to fill our stomachs,” she added, her malnourished body covered in rashes.
“Three people died from eating those leaves. They developed severe diarrhea and vomiting and died without any medical care. Two died in January, one in early February.”
Esther, abducted alongside her two-week-old daughter and two young cousins, said the terrorists executed her cousins with headshots.
“One day, a commander came and asked about our family. He claimed they were stalling on the ransom. Then, in cold blood, he shot my cousins,” she recalled.
Another survivor, 25-year-old David Maza, shared his own trauma: “When food was completely withheld, we ate mango leaves and tender grass—raw. Some died from malnutrition, others from the poisonous plants. Their bodies were thrown into the river.”
Deborah James, another freed hostage, described daily torture.
“They beat us with horsewhips, batons, and sticks. Men were hit with gun butts. Each morning, they forced us to call our relatives while they beat us so they could hear our screams.”
She added, “They killed people just for pleasure. Others died slowly from disease or starvation.”
Faith Behind Bars: Prayers Amid Torture
Esther Moses and fellow survivor Mary Musa, 30, said prayer played a significant role in sustaining them.
“In the beginning, the Fulani mocked us. They called us ‘arnas’ (infidels),” Esther recalled. “But by January, they started waiting quietly while we prayed. Their attitude softened.”
Mary added, “Eventually, they even unchained our husbands and sons. Prayer gave us strength.”
Inside the Rijana Terror Camps
Esther described the camp as hidden among tall grasses and trees near the winding Kaduna River. She said there were at least four other camps nearby.
“We couldn’t see the other prisoners, but we constantly heard their cries,” she said.
“When we arrived in December, our section alone had over 200 captives. By the time we left in April, more than 90 remained behind in just our camp,” Esther added. “I estimate around 800 people are held across the camps. Victims are released when ransom is paid, but new captives arrive regularly.”
According to analysis of ransoms paid, the kidnappers collected approximately $228,000 in cash and ransom-in-kind, such as motorbikes for the handover of 110 captives held for 100 days. Five hostage camps with the same turnover and revenue would bring in $1.14 million every 120 days.
Executions on Command
Another survivor, Musa Radda, spoke of a feared warlord known as Yellow One Million and his cruel lieutenant, Yellow Dan Musa.
“Between them, at least 10 people were killed and dumped in the river,” Radda said. “I personally saw Yellow Dan Musa kill six people after phone calls with their families.”
Simon Nuhu, who spearheaded the effort to free the hostages, revealed the staggering cost—financially and emotionally—of securing their release.
“My family alone had 11 relatives abducted,” he said. “We paid N40 million ($26,000) for eight of them. Then the bandits demanded four motorcycles—worth another N10 million ($6,500)—to release the remaining three. In total, we spent N50 million ($34,000).”
But the tragedy extended to others. “Fifteen neighbors were also held hostage,” he said. “Their families raised N31 million ($21,000). We sold land, begged for help. Everyone gave something.”
In total, N81 million ($54,000) was paid in ransom.
Sadly, four victims did not survive:
● Daniel Nuhu, 27
● Mycah Nuhu, 19
● Barnabas Ibrahim, 22
● Joy Paul, 12
“We couldn’t save everyone,” Nuhu said through tears. “The bandits showed no mercy.”
An Urgent Plea for Help
Now recovering in hospital, the freed victims face long battles with physical and psychological trauma.
“Medical treatment is their most urgent need,” Nuhu emphasized. “We’ve exhausted every resource. We need help—now.”
Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh James are conflict Reporters for TruthNigeria.
