Ilorin woman cries out over threat to life, miscarriage after alleged attack by suspected kidnappers, armed robbers

By Tunde Rufai

As a follow up to unraveling the people behind a recent kidnapping/robbery incident in Ilorin, an eyewitness, identified as Hajia Bashirat Oluwabukola Yahaya has raised the alarm over persistent threats to her life, alleging that she recently lost a seven-month pregnancy after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt by suspected armed robbers and political thugs in Ilorin, Kwara State, Hot News can report.

Hajia Bashirat, who resides in Eiyenkorin area, a suburb of the state capital, recounted her ordeal during an investigation into a recent kidnapping/robbery incident at a popular shopping mall along Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin. She claimed that two of the suspects were her former schoolmates, whom she recognized during the attack.

Our reporter finally traced her to the family house at Emir’s road, Ilorin after several attempts at taking her words on her hospital bed failed due to her weak condition emanating from the injuries sustained and loss of her pregnancy.

Speaking to our correspondent, still not 100% okay health wise, looking visibly weak, thevictim described how she and two of her friends encountered armed men on their way out of the shopping mall after a successful shopping for few domestic needs.

“I was leaving the supermarket with two of my friends after shopping when we saw a car pull up. Several men emerged with guns and machetes, firing shots into the air,” she said. “They grabbed a woman who had just returned from the ATM and seized her children from their car.”

While hiding behind one of the parked vehicles, Hajia Bashirat said she made eye contact with one of the gunmen whom she recognized from school.

“His name is Akinwale, we made eye contact but he said nothing, before they drove off with the woman and her kids,” she narrated.

According to her, the gang consisted of six men, four of whom were unmasked. She said she was able to identify two of them.

The following day, she received a chilling message from an unknown number, warning her not to reveal the identity of the assailants or risk death.

Her fears became reality in the early hours of February 21, when the attackers allegedly stormed her home. She described her escape as “miraculous,” saying she fled the house through the back door.

“They shot my dog dead, it was the sound of the gunshot that alerted me to their presence in my compound and I was staying alone inside my compound of a 3 bedroom flat, my children were not at home, they went to stay with my mum.

“After I turned off all the lights in the house, I quietly snuck out through the backdoor at the kitchen, I used a stool to scale over the fence to the other side but I fell down right on my protruding belly, I have several scars on my body.”

She however revealed that she lost her seven month old pregnancy while trying to escape. “I was seven months pregnant. I crawled through the debris and broken bottles to escape to the house of one of my neighbours as they have also been alerted and terrified by the sound of the gunshots.

“By the time my neighbour would get to me, I had already passed out and he was the one that rushed me to the hospital. It was the doctors that made efforts to resuscitate me, unfortunately, I lost the baby,” she said, holding back tears.

When asked why she was alone in the house, aside the children whom she mentioned went to be with her mum. “My husband and I were separated for more than ten years now on the ground that I only bore him female children and that she sees no useful of a girl child. After his several complaints and quarrels in the house, one day, he just left the house, packing few of his belongings without looking back or asks of the children (two girls) and I. After I have waited for about ten solid years and he was nowhere to be found as his families too were tactically in support of his decision, because I later learnt he went to be with another woman, abandoning us. I decided to move on with my life.

Shortly after, I met another man with his own kids too. We were about six months into the relationship when I got pregnant and we did a small marriage rite (Introduction). It was the pregnancy to my new man that got forcefully aborted through that incident”, she narrated.

Hajia Bashirat, further revealed that “They even came for me again at my mother–in–law’s house, asking for my whereabouts but luckily for me I wasn’t inside the house then, I went out to buy something in the neighbourhood and this incident drew a wedge between my partner and I as he has been trying to avoid me.

“They also went to my shop in the Ipata area where I am selling Weave on, hair attachments, bags, chains and others and they threw harmful substances on my goods, making them unusable.”

She claimed that police officers expressed helplessness due to the alleged connections of the suspects, who were said to be political thugs. “A female officer told me plainly that even if they were arrested, their influence would get them off the hook. She advised me to run or plead with them,” she added.

“You know there’s a big gulf in apportioning judgement when it affects common citizens and the highly placed individual in our country. You’re condemned to fate if you’re nobody or connected to those in power, your lots will be seriously damaging even in the face of clear evidence, particularly at this period when elections are fast approaching and there will be change of government soon, she tearfully posited.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, Hajia Bashirat said she filed a direct complaint of criminal intimidation at the Upper Area Court on February 8. When contacted, the Court’s Secretary to the Registrar confirmed receipt of the complaint but declined to provide our reporter with a copy.

It would be recalled that the kidnapped victims were later found dead few days after the incident and were recognised as family of one of the opposition leaders in the soon to be held general elections in the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State Command, also confirmed the report and said an investigation is ongoing.