The father of one of the abducted Jangebe schoolgirls, Iliya Gwaram, has revealed that he told his daughter not to talk to him when they met in the captivity of the bandits.
Narrating his ordeal, Gwaram said he was shocked to see his daughter among the kidnapped schoolgirls when they were herded into the abductors’ den.
He said he quickly told his daughter not to act as if they knew each other, and that they were able to keep their relationship a secret while in captivity.
He said: “I have been in captivity with these other people for more than three months when on that Friday morning, l saw the schoolgirls being brought into where we were camped by our abductors.
“At first, l didn’t know who they were or where they were coming from, until l saw the face of my scared daughter looking at me. “I quickly told some of the girls who were brought along with her and sat near me to tell my child not to show any indication that she even knew me.
“The girls were brave enough and they kept our little secret up to the last day of their four days stay with us. “l never cried in the whole of my life like l cried the day the girls were taken back because l felt it was the last time l would see my daughter.
“Fortunately and unknown to me, my daughter informed Governor Matawalle of our whereabouts and the poor health conditions we were, which led to our freedom today (yesterday) as facilitated by the governor and his security people.“
He, however, said he had no idea if was ransom was paid to secure his release, saying that all that mattered to him was the safe return to his family.
Gwaram said his daughter would continue with her education, despite the kidnapping incident.
He said: “If she wasn’t educated, she would have exposed me when she saw me and that would have put the two of us in danger. I thank God for that and l will continue to pray that such a thing never happens to even my worst enemy.’’