I Never Knew I’ll Come Back Alive: Released Father Of One Of Jangebe School Girls

BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT – Mallam Iliya Gwaram, the abducted father of one of the kidnapped Jangebe School girls that was held in captivity for over three months, said he never thought he would come back alive.

Gwaram, who regained freedom on Monday night said the saddest day in his life was the day his daughter and her school mates were released from the den of bandits that abducted them as he thought that would be the last time he would set his eyes on his daughter or any member of his family.

In his words; “l have never cried in my entire my life like l did the day the girls were taken back because l felt that it was going to be the last time l would see my daughter or any member of my family.
The freed Gwaram, who was driven to Government House, Gusau at about 9:00pm on Monday, said that knowing the possible implication of his daughter identifying him as her father in the deadly den of the bandits, he had to quickly alerted her not to attempt to recognize for the safety of all of them.

While expressing sign of relief, Gwaram, who was rescued along with nine other abductees among whom were nursing mothers and three toddlers, said he has been in captivity under severe and harsh conditions with other people for more than three months.

In his words; “When on that Friday morning, l saw the school girls brought to where we were camped by our abductors, at first, l didn’t know who they were or where they were coming from, until l saw the face of my scared daughter looking at me.

“I had to quickly tell some of the girls who were brought along with her and sat close to me to tell my daughter not to show any indication that she knew me.
“Thank God, the girls were brave enough and kept our little secret up to the last day of their four days stay with us.

“Fortunately and unknown to me, my daughter informed Governor Matawalle of our whereabouts and the poor health conditions we were facing which led to our freedom today as facilitated by the governor and his security people”.

Commenting on the possibility of payment of ransom for his release, Gwaram said he was not in a position to know as all that mattered to him and the rest of his abductees was how to return to their homes.
Gwaram further said; “Look at those two women that we were rescued along with me, two million Naira was said to have been raised and paid by their relatives for the bandits more than two months ago.

“It was believed that the money could not be traced as it was suspected that it was another group intercepted the person that was taking the money and collected the money from him”.
Commenting on if he would allow his daughter to continue with her education, Gwaram said that she would certainly continue, adding that if she was not that educated, she would have easily exposed him the moment she saw him, a development that would have engender his life and possibly that of his daughter.

He said; “I thank God for that and l will continue to pray that such a thing never happens to even my worst enemy”.