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Elizabeth Arowojolu, a hairstylist abducted on the Benin-Ore Expressway, describes how she escaped from kidnappers after a two-hour march into the bush.
Elizabeth Arowojolu, a hairstylist from Ondo State, survived a kidnapping on the Benin-Ore Expressway after she and other passengers were abducted by armed men. The incident occurred after Ore, near a location farmers later identified as Step-down. Arowojolu, whose mother is from Edo State, was traveling from Benin to Lagos to visit a friend when the attack happened. She left Benin at about 3 pm and boarded a bus at Ogheghe on the Sapele Bypass Road in Benin City.
Kidnappers Attack Bus on Benin-Ore Expressway
The attack unfolded after the bus reached Ore. Arowojolu was on her phone when she heard noise from vehicles ahead. She looked up and saw a car in front of the bus. One of the men stood beside the driver. When the driver realized what was happening, he locked the door. The man began hitting the bus and demanded that he open the door, threatening to shoot him.
A trailer behind the bus and another person had already fled. The driver could not maneuver because a truck was behind and a car in front. Initially, Arowojolu saw two attackers, but there were four in total. Three carried guns, while one had a cutlass and a big stick. One broke the driver’s side mirror and continued beating him until he opened the door.
The attackers entered and started beating everyone. Two had their faces covered, while the others did not. One looked Fulani to Arowojolu, while the others did not look Hausa. They called each other by names such as Scorpion and Scala. The first man fired his gun toward the roof and ordered everyone to keep quiet. Arowojolu had about three phones and an iPad. She tried to hide two phones but was noticed. One kidnapper hit her on the forehead near her eye with his gun. She became unconscious but could still hear and understand what was happening.
Passengers Forced into Bush and Abducted
The attackers ordered everyone off the bus and pointed guns at the driver’s head, threatening to shoot him. There were about 12 people in Arowojolu’s bus, and the occupants of the first car were also taken. After they stopped, no other vehicles were moving on either side of the road. The area suddenly became quiet.
The kidnappers ordered the passengers to come down one after another, put their hands behind their heads, and form a line. Before entering the bush, one brought out a big bag and ordered them to put their phones inside. Arowojolu still had one phone hidden inside her trousers. They collected the other phones and ordered the group to follow them into the bush.
Two walked in front, and two followed behind. They kept ordering the group to run faster as they went deeper into the bush. There were about 16 kidnapped victims. It was getting dark. The journey into the bush lasted more than two hours. At times they were told to slow down, and at other times to run. Eventually, they were told to sit in a circle with their hands behind their heads.
Escape from Captivity in the Bush
The man sitting beside Arowojolu began giving signals that they should prepare to run. He did not say it directly. He used gestures and tried to communicate with his mouth. Two kidnappers were still with them. One had moved away and appeared to be cutting something, possibly a plank. The victims were warned that anyone who tried to run or do anything would be killed. The man beside her continued signaling that they should get ready to run.
Suddenly, two kidnappers stood up. One carried a cutlass. They stepped away from where the victims were sitting, and it seemed as though something had distracted them. Arowojolu cannot remember exactly what happened at that moment. Then, three men close to her stood up and started running. The man who had been signaling was among them. Arowojolu ran with them. She was the only woman who escaped with the men. One of the men told them not to stop and to avoid running in a straight line.
Arowojolu later described the area to farmers, who told her it was close to a place they called Step-down along the Benin-Ore Expressway. She is from Ondo State, while her mother is from Edo State. Her parents are separated, and her siblings live in a different location.
Elizabeth Arowojolu Benin-Ore Expressway Kidnapping Edo State Ondo State Ore Escape
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