BY CHIOMA IGBOKWE
When The Sun photo journalist, Omoniyi Ayedun was called on Thursday morning that he should proceed to Arepo, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway to cover the raging fire that engulfed over 100 oil pipeline vandals, he felt it was business as usual.
What he thought was going to be the usual everyday routine turned out to be a journey to hell and back after heavily armed vandals abducted him and his opposite number from The Nation newspapers, Solomon Adeola.
Omoniyi, who looked visibly shaken, narrated his ordeal. “I always find it fun to cover tragic events, it brings out my expertise in photography. So, I was excited when my editor, Mr Malogo called me that there was an incident at Arepo and 100 persons died. To get the best shot, I quickly brought out my best camera and ensured that it was well charged. On Thursday, as early as 8am, I took a bus from Iyana Ipaja to Ibafo. I met Solomon of The Nation and luckily he said that he was heading for Arepo to cover the same incident. When we got to Arepo junction, due to the cost of picking a motorcycle, we decided to pair on the available one on ground. On getting to Beach land estate, we were approached by four mean looking persons. Initially we thought they were area boys who wanted to harass and extort us. It was when they brought out their guns that I knew that we were in trouble.
“They started asking us what our mission was? They insisted that we were sent by the Federal Government to expose their faces. We pleaded but they kept slapping us. They made a call to someone who asked them to bring us to the creeks,” Ayedun said.
On sensing danger, Omoniyi grabbed the nearest woman begging for their freedom. “Some women gathered and were begging them to leave us alone. They knelt down and begged them while some rolled on the floor, begging them to forgive us. I immediately grabbed one of the women but they grabbed me by the belt and pushed us into the boat. They told us to calm down that if they wanted to kill us, we would be dead by then.
“They tore my inner shirt and used it to tie my hands at the back. They pushed us into the boat and we sped off, when we got to a point that looked like a checkpoint, we saw several men heavily armed. They were wearing military and mobile police uniforms. They made a call on their walkie talkie informing someone we assumed was their leader that we had arrived. They told them to bring us in. We passed some checkpoints till we got to the fourth checkpoint and they ordered that we should stop. It was in an island with wooden houses. We were forced to sit on the floor till their leader arrived. While we were waiting, they took turns in beating us. Although they tied a piece of cloth around our eyes, I was able to see through the white cloth,” Omoniyi further said.
According to him, they spent another 20 minutes before a heavily built man arrived the creeks well guarded. “When the man arrived, he said; ‘Gentlemen, who are you?’ We told them that we are journalists. He asked if we were from the Federal Government and how much we were paid to expose them.
“At that point he boasted that they have killed and buried several police officers and soldiers. They said that federal and state government are aware that they are there and dare not venture into the area.
After searching us, he said that he was now satisfied that we are harmless journalists. They warned us that if we dared to come around there again, they will kill us and send our corpses to our parents. They took everything I had on me, including my Nikon 07700 camera worth over N300,000, Samsung Galaxy A5 phone which I bought at a cost of N75,000, Itel phone costing N25,000, a wristwatch and N5,000 cash. They told us to remind the Federal Government that this is their territory and they should stay away. He then ordered them to take us back to where they picked us.
“When we got back to the land, the women were praising God that we came back. They said that several persons, including policemen and soldiers were dragged into the creeks and never came back. We took the next available bus to The Nation newspaper where we were taken to their clinic for treatment. It was God all the way,” Omoniyi concluded his narration.
On his part, Solomon said that they were beaten and slapped several times, inquiring who their boss was and if there was any message given us for them. “There was no escape. I tried jumping into the river but was hit with a gun. It was surprising because they conversed in Ijaw, not Yoruba language. When asked my state of origin, I told them am from Ikare Akoko in Ondo State. My explanation continued, telling them my language and that we share border with Delta State. I even tried speaking my language which I don’t know well so that they will believe me. I was landed a dirty slap for my ‘long explanation’. By the time we got to where I don’t know, about 300 of the fierce looking men surrounded us. We were just standing in their midst. These men kept asking questions and interrogating us. I told them I live at Iyana Ipaja and as an only child, I just got married that am a photo journalist, yet they insisted that I was lying and had no business covering the explosion. I died even before death came when they said our camera should be used to take a picture to show that our execution was successful and that my prayers should stop as it won’t save me. Once again, our eyes were covered and I was asked to kneel down in the water with my trousers and bare chest. My shirt was used to cover my eyes. Then a slim tall man in white shorts approached us. He told us we were to be spared, but has no explainable reason for doing so. We were unveiled and shown a place where they have killed many policemen and soldiers even with their own guns”, Solomon said amid sobs.
Speaking further, he said: “I tried making a call but they dragged the phone from me and hung up the call. The slim man promised to spare our lives if we could sing for him. I declined and told him I was too scared to sing any song. He insisted and though I could make no sense of what I sang, I apologized, blessed him and called on God in the song. One of the guys around said in pidgin- Anybody wey reach this point no dey come back. I no wan see you here again. Another one said that was their only means of livelihood and government wants to take it from them.
We were promised to be given some money to go back and another shirt bought for me with the promise I won’t partake in such deadly venture again. My N600,000 camera was not returned to me, even when I told them I was still paying for it in installments. Our bags were given back to us and our ATMs and other things inside were intact. Immediately we touched land, one light complexioned woman was paid to give us a shirt. The label was removed and they threw the shirt at me and gave us some money to go back. They reminded me that I should thank God for sparing our lives as we hurriedly left the area on a bike organised for us,” Solomon narrated.