Three weeks ago, my 23-year-old neighbor was kidnapped on her way to Kontagora in Niger State.
While in captivity, the bandits repeatedly raped her taking turns sleeping with her night after night. Still, they kept bargaining with her father over the phone, demanding ransom even as they violated her.
Her father fought with everything he had. He hustled day and night, borrowed from everyone, took loans, sold whatever he could determined to bring his daughter home.
When he finally gathered the full amount, he called the bandits and begged them, ‘Please, give the phone to my daughter. Let me speak to her. I want her to know I’m coming for her.’
They gave her the phone.
In a broken, traumatized voice, she told her father: ‘Dad, do not suffer yourself looking for the money. They have been sleeping with me. I’m traumatized. I can’t forgive myself. Even if I’m released, I’ll kill myself. Don’t bother paying the ransom.’
Those were the last words she ever spoke to him.
While her father was still holding the phone, he heard the gunshot. He heard his daughter being killed. Moments later, the bandits sent pictures of her remains to him, a final act of cruelty.
A 23-year-old girl. My neighbor. Someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, someone’s friend gone in the most horrific way possible.
This is not just one story. This is the nightmare too many families are living in Niger State and across Nigeria. Young women snatched on the roads, violated, used as bargaining chips, and discarded like nothing.
Living in Nigeria has become truly scary. You wake up, you step out, and you don’t know if you or your loved ones will return home. The fear is constant. The pain is constant. And too often, justice never comes.
Rest in peace to my neighbor.
I have some friends yet to congratulate me for Arsenal Victory 7 days after we lifted the EPL trophy and 12 days after we won it, but they couldn't resist the urge to send mocking messages celebrating the UCL loss. It didn't matter to them what winning it meant to me and how losing it at that stage must feel.
There is a life lesson here. There are those who will celebrate your inability to attain just because it makes them feel better about themselves or their feeling of superiority based on past glory.
Regardless, those messages had the opposite effect. They became fuel and motivation to keep believing and pushing forward. We will win it one day by His Grace. And y'all be living witnesses. 🙏
Madueke was very good when he came on yesterday and the reality is that he outshone Saka. Not for the first time in the Champions league either. Please don’t invent stories about him refusing to take a penalty just because you don’t like him. He showed a lot when he came on.
💬 "They scored a lucky action... after that it was pressure for them!"
Luis Enrique reacts to beating Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final 🏆
📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max
We probably deserve another red card for that last post! But in all seriousness, congratulations to @Arsenal on winning the Premier League and a great run in the Champions League.
Looking forward to picking up the battle again with you next season.