The public mode of transportation is one that presents both good and bad experiences for those who use it. While it can be an opportunity to meet new people, it's also an avenue to learn about others and meet both good and terrible drivers and co-passengers. I've experienced all of this and have had my good and bad days with the public transport system, but the one that holds a significant amount of memory is one when our vehicle was stopped by the most dangerous terrorist in Nigeria.
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Then I was partaking in the mandatory national service that was meant to be done by every graduate in my country, Nigeria, and even though I had all of my education in Lagos State, which was the western part of the country, when it came time for the nysc (national youth service corps), I was posted to Yobe State, which is situated in the north-eastern part of Nigeria. It was my first time going to the north, and I was disappointed by the position.
Although I wasn't happy about the posting, I still traveled down there and did my service year in the state. During my stay in the state, the country was to have an election, and we Corp members were to aid the electoral commission in carrying out the electoral process. After rigorous training, I went to check which polling unit I was posted to work with during the election and realized I'd been posted to a very far location that's closer to the Niger Republic and also a proxy for where the Boko Haram terrorist group has a base. Even though I could wave it off, I decided to still travel down there, and that's when this terrible experience occurred.
No vehicle was provided, so we had to use that public holiday vehicle, and so we went to the park and boarded a vehicle alongside other passengers we met at the car park, but since we're aware of the dangers that lie ahead, we were advised not to put on any uniform that indicates we were corp members, else that might trigger the terrorists to either adopt us or kill us, so we all put on normal clothes; we all actually dressed like northerners, and most of us who aren't from the north were advised to stay in the middle seat.
So should we encounter this terrorist along the way, then those they'll commune with at the edge would be those who can speak Hausa or Kanuri language fluently. Lo and behold, after about 5 hours of driving within the state, we meet the terrorists, who had set up an ambush, expecting corp members who were meant to travel down that route.
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Apparently, it's obvious they've got informants who are passing information to them that we'll be traveling down that route, and they've had it in mind to adopt us and use us to take ransom from the government, but on arriving at their ambushed point, they were surprised to see we weren't corp members but all looked like indigens of the state. This made them confused, but they didn't let us go; instead, they asked us to come down, searched us, and then held us at gunpoint for hours as they kept interrogating us. I and those others who weren't from the north were just fortunate that we heard and could speak Hausa to some extent.
That was a very horrible experience for me; in fact, I almost peed my pants, and I thought I'd die that very day, but fortunately for us, while they were still interrogating us, they got another call that the vehicle that carries the corp members is on its way to them and they should get prepared. That made them quickly set us free and ask us to leave as fast as possible, so the incoming vehicle wouldn't sense a foul play and zoom off.
That was a very terrible experience that left me in shock for months, and even though we proceeded with our journey and did the election, I vowed never to pass that route again because there is obviously a spy among the car pack agents who might have been feeding the terrorists with information about the set of people that'll most likely pass that route. I was lucky I escaped and won't be taking such a risk again.
That's all about one of my most memorable public transportation experiences. I hope you enjoyed the read. Do have a wonderful night's rest and stay blessed.
