An Encounter with Road Bandits. The Night I Saw Death And Lived

I love writing about my life experiences. It makes me reminisce about things that was or could have been. Finding a platform like hive has made it wonderfully easy to share my stories.

Travelling has always been a favourite of mine. I have always enjoyed exploring New places. I have been to nearly all part of the country ,mainly by road. Its been a long time I travelled though. From the recent security situation it looks like that past time is about to be dropped.

If you live in a country like ours you will know surviving daily is a testimony on its own. Travelling and arriving safely on our roads is a different story all together.

Like I said earlier, I can say I have been to over 30 States in the country. How is that so? Well I worked for an advertising company. My job entails going from state to state promoting different brands. Even after quitting the job, my new business also makes me travel a lot to different places. There was a time I was always on the Kaduna - Abuja Road like 4 times a week. With the current spate of atrocities on that road. I doubt if I will ever go on that road again,even by rail.

A particular incident helped change my views about travelling on Nigerian roads. This was actually my second experience, but this was scary a lot as I almost lost my life.
This particular experience happened on my way to Jos recently. I was actually going for a course. I had already booked ahead. Program was for a Thursday, and it was Tuesday. Time to hit the road.

I had no premonition whatsoever on this fateful day. Though I later came to realise I actually got a message from God, If you put it that way. coming to this later.

I woke up quite late this Tuesday morning, quite unlike me. Nearly cancelled the journey, but I must be in Jos that Tuesday. I got to the park, I had missed all the buses going to Jos by my favourite transport company. They leave latest by 6am. Reluctantly I took an alternative, normally I wouldn't take this option.

Eventually we left the park few minutes past 7am. Few meters into the journey I started meditating. In my meditation I thought I heard a voice tell me " fear thou Not, I am with you". Raising up my heard I saw a 911 lorry in front of us. On the tailboard was written bodly that same words I heard in my meditation " Fear thou not, I will be with you".
Looked strange but I didn't read much meaning into it. Probably a coincidence. The turn of events much later proved it was actually a message for me.

That journey was one of the slowest I have ever had. In spite of the fact that the journey to Jos was a very long one, the driver drove as if we were going to the next village. Quite frustrating. We stopped at practically every junction there is. At a point we all felt their was a problem with vehicle that the driver is not telling us. Sluggishly we got to Makurdi at about 6pm. It was getting late.

Miraculously, immediately we left Makurdi, the vehicle began moving fast . We were quite surprised, so this vehicle could move this fast? We continued our journey. Passed so many Army, police, customs and produce check points. Darkness descended upon us. Then the terror started.
We had just passed the last Army Check point before Jos Town. Then boom, it happened.

Some minutes past 9pm, just like thunder and lightening. Bandits from nowhere came out and opened fire on us. Everybody started shouting, but who will hear us. Our bus was completely surrounded.

All of them heavily armed. At that time I didn't even realise that I have been hit by a bullet. I was just trying to get out of the vehicle. I could not as everyone was trying to get out at the same time. Soon enough i discovered I was gradually loosing strength by the minute.

Then I saw my shirt was soaked in blood. I still didn't realise I have been hit,not until I came out and one lady shouted, looking at me, "dem Don shoot this man". I was like, me? Then i looked at the blood on my shirt and then saw the deep hole just below my neck.
The bullet actually broke my collar bone and created a big hole as it pierced through my body. I lost consciousness faster as I was loosing so much blood. I became very weak. I had to lie on the road as I could not stand steady.

By this time the bandits has searched everyone and had taken all we had. One of them pointed a torch where I was. Seeing me in that condition meant nothing to him. As if I was one dying animal for all he cared. I guess that's what saved me.

Immediately, they marched everyone into the Bush, kidnapped. They left me thinking I was already dead, it was just a matter of time. I was of no use. I laid there with my strength failing fast. Like I have never done before, I prayed for help, and Indeed God sent help.

Few minutes after they had left a police patrol team came around. Saw the bullet riddled vehicle and saw me lying on the ground. They quickly carried me and took me to the hospital. Luckily for us there were doctors on duty who quickly went to work and was able to stabilise my condition.

By the morning I was a bit strong. I did an X-ray to see the extent of the damage the bullet in my body has done. Thankfully no major damage was done internally and there was no need for an operation to remove it as that could cause more problem for me. The bullet is still inside of me till today.

I got discharged and went back to my base with a police report. Getting the police report is another story on its own. Maybe one day I will get to tell it. So pathetic.

Till date nothing has taken me to Jos. Any business that will take me to Jos, I don't want to hear it, lol.

After some days I now remembered the message I got at the beginning of that Journey" fear thou not, I will be with you". You still think it was a coincidence? Naah, I don't think so. I think it was Divine.
A lot is happening on our roads, people are dieing like animals. What we get to hear on the news is a far cry from the true story. We really need a messiah to save us all.

All pictures taken from unsplash.com