Insecurity: We Have Been Attack Many Times, Life Has Become Unbearable For Us – Family Cries Out, Seeks Help After Falling Victim To Repeated Kidnapping

37 year old farmer and businessman Muhmeen Azeez, a native of Atiba local government in Oyo State, Nigeria, faces a harrowing ordeal as he navigates the perilous landscape of terrorism and violence.

Born on January 2nd, 1987, Mr. Muhmeen Azeez along with his wife, Gbadamosi Taiwo Riannat, and their two daughters, Fathia and Shekinat, have been thrust into a nightmare of uncertainty and fear.

Speaking exclusively to our correspondent, Muhmeen recounted the series of tragic events that have befallen his family, starting with the brutal killing of his father on their farm by unknown gunmen in June 2023.

This tragedy was compounded by the loss of Azeez’s elder brother, a military personnel, in Maiduguri during a military operation the same year.

Following his father’s death, Muhmeen assumed responsibility for the family farm, only to face threats and violence from unidentified assailants warning him to stay away.

Despite reporting the incidents to the police and community leaders, the attacks persisted, culminating in a vicious assault in October 2023 that left Muhmeen hospitalized and his wife and youngest daughter kidnapped for a ransom of 20 million naira.

Tragically, despite paying a ransom of 10 million naira, their daughter, Shekinat, died to the trauma inflicted upon her during captivity. Amidst the heartbreak, his wife pleaded for them to relinquish the family land and relocate to Ibadan in search of safety and peace.

However, in their new residence, the family’s ordeal continued, with a violent intrusion into their home on March 28th, 2024, leaving Muhmeen battered and his wife narrowly escaped sexual assault due to her pregnancy.

As the family grapples with ongoing threats and violence, their plea for safety and peace remains unanswered. Unable to return to Oyo town or find refuge with family in Lagos, their quest for a peaceful existence continues amidst the turmoil that has shattered their lives.

According to Muhmeen, “My name is Muhmeen Azeez, I was born on 2nd January 1987 in Atiba local govt area of Oyo State Nigeria. My wife name is Gbadamosi Taiwo Riannat, and our two daughters Fathia and Shekinat Azeez.

“The world is full of uncertainties and living in a region where terrorist,unknown gun men, kidnappers and the likes have unleashed their wrath on innocent civilians is a nightmare. For me, the fear of terrorist attack became very real on 10th of June 2023 that I got a call that my father had been seriously brutalised and killed on his farm land by unknown gunmen, I lost my elder brother who was a military personnel the same year, my brother was killed in maiduguri during their military operation.

“After the unexpected demise of my father I took the responsibility of looking after his farm due to the fact that I was his favourite son and I know about the business more than any of my siblings

“Surprisingly, the following month I was on the farm on a faithful day and I saw a group of people with machete and other weapons walking towards my direction, one of them walked down to me and said “today we are not here to harm you we only come to warn you never not to step on this farm again” it all look like as if I was dreaming because this is a farm I have known to be one of my fathers properties for decades, I couldn’t argue with them because failure to comply at that point may lead to my death so I leave the premises and went straight to my mum place to narrate my experience on the farm to her, my mother advice me to go and report to police and the community leader which I did, I make a report at the police station and also inform the community leader. On this farm there are live stocks that need daily feeding like catfish and broilers which make it not possible for me not to go there in a single day.

“After I took the step of making the report I didn’t receive any threat again until October 2023 that another set of people (unknown) came to the farm, they asked “how many times have you been warned not to stepped on this farm” before I could respond I have been beaten to stupor, I sustain many injuries but I was luckily rescued by some people who later rushed me down to the hospital

“I was at the hospital where I was receiving treatment that I was informed that my wife and our youngest daughter has been kidnapped, few days later I got a call from unknown caller to prepare ransom of 20million naira or lose my wife, they warned me not to inform police and the money should be in cash, failure to comply will result in losing them, I sold my property to raise 10 million naira before they could release them after two weeks, my daughter Shekinat died due to the stress she has been through with them

“My wife share her horrible experience with them with me and begged me to let go of the land and anything that has to do with family property and move on with our lives, I did just as she said, I also brought idea of relocating to Ibadan so we can at least have a rest of mind since the police are not also helping the situation

“After giving up the farm and everything, we move to Ibadan to start a new life, On March 28th 2024 Sunday night they busted in to our newly rented apartment again I was beaten, my wife was almost got raped in my presence, she was striped naked they spare her of rape just because she is pregnant

“Me and my wife have been severely bullied and toured countless time without any reasonable reason, life has become unbearable for us as we can’t go back to Oyo town, we can’t stay with family in Lagos, we can’t live peacefully in rented house in Ibadan. We don’t want to die young, we just want a peace of mind.”