How I escaped death from hands of bandits – Woman narrates chilling story

Mrs Balogun

It was sometime in March 2012, I just finished with Sunday school teachings and was preparing for the church main service at our 1st Baptist Church on Taiwo road in Kaduna. I had been a bit sick over that weekend and my instincts were to rest well at home for the incoming week rather than go to church. However on second and deep thought, I felt going to church for fellowship with God and others will actually boost my body, soul and spirit before the unexpected gory, devastating and dehumanizing story of my life begun.

This were the opening lines of Mrs Adejoke Yemisi Balogun while narrating her harrowing experience of this black Sunday with Boko Haram bandits in Kaduna.

The mother of two children narrated to a couple of journalists who ran into her shortly after the incident in Lagos where she eventually sought refuge.

Like a movie on a war story, no members of our congregation suspect any dangerous or accidental occurrence in church that Sunday. No premonitions, no visions and no prophecies. Just sudden attacks and sudden shocking brutality in the name of religion.

At first about five motor bikes appeared at the main entrance of the church carrying some Muslim faithful dressed in the typical Fulani brownish white robes though looking wild.

The church security operatives didn’t allow them into the church but alerted our pastor who came out with some church leaders and myself to investigate what was actually happening. Whilst those who could speak the Hausa language engaged these bandits appealing for peace and calm, we suddenly started hearing shouts, rustling, and rowdy movements and running helter skelter of a huge mass of people who thronged into the church running for their lives.

Suddenly the huge trucks and more motorcycles appeared in front of the church taking over the streets, carrying hundreds of bandits armed with guns, spears, marchets and swords as they launched their fierce attack on the church and the congregation. Shootings took over the space, argonising cries of women and children tormented everywhere, while human blood was graciously let spilling by these notorious bandits. I received a deep marchet cut on my leg and Sister Mope who was attempting to run the fence wasn’t so lucky as she took her cut in the head and slumped.

At this point of her story, Mrs Adejoke Yemisi Balogun broke down in tears ” they were slaughtering people -Christians – like cows and shouting Allah Akbar.” I saw my friends and church members fell like logs of woods including very innocent children. It was a really black bad Sunday she said while now crying uncontrollably.”

This is very terrible and very ungodly in a country with government and law enforcement agencies… It’s painful, agonizing and sad for Nigeria she further lamented.

On how she managed to escape from being killed Mrs Adejoke said it was a miracle that she could not explain. In her words, she said ” I had sustained a very deep cut on my leg and the bleeding was much but because I had been at the gate earlier with the pastor and some church leaders, I was able to miraculously vacate the church premises into a side street opposite the church. Myself with the aid of two young men who lifted me crossed the major Taiwo road to the side street. These men managed to help me tied up my marcheted leg and cleaned the bruises on my face. One of the men also had a slight cut on shoulder but not as deep as mine.

Eventually I got a bike ride out of the war zone and managed to locate a private hospital where I was given first aid treatment as majority of the hospital workers had ran to there different homes. I got better treatment the following day with the administration of anti tetanus injections. I made up my mind there and then to leave the North for Lagos and possibly get out of the country which was becoming unbearable and unsafe for her.

Mrs Adejoke Yemisi Balogun also briefly and painfully narrated the profound marital abuse and persecution she suffered in the hands of her husband, family and friends, when her husband cut her red handed having canal affair with a fellow woman in their matrimonial home.

After thorough physical abuse, the husband reported her to the families and the law enforcement agencies who threatened her severely and severally making life unbearable for her.

The marriage which was contracted in 1993 broke down completely in 2010 and I have continued to live in fear and trepidation ever since.

Infact, the stigmatization from the extra marital affair along with constant threats to her existence by the husband, the family and law enforcement agencies have turned her into a shadow of herself.

She said her only succour was in church where she often finds a little peace and ultimately looking for an escape out of the country. A prayer she hoped would be answered one day, she lamented.

This gory story of Mrs Adejoke Yemisi Balogun is one of so many untold agonizing stories of many families in the northern regions of Nigeria. Particularly Christians who are being persecuted on daily basis with no exceptions for women and children. Christian families with great investments in the north are selling off and running out. Many are holding forth at the risk of their lives. Family businesses of Christians and non indegenes are collapsing without hope of resurrection and yet the Nigerian government seems not to have any solutions at hand. Not even in the foreseeable future, she lamented.

Culled from Beats-on-It.com