Woman Recounts Drinking Urine to Survive After Escaping Alleged Trafficker in Mali

A young Nigerian woman, Precious Godwin from Benin, Edo State, has recounted the harrowing ordeal she endured while crossing the Sahara Desert after fleeing an alleged trafficker in Mali, revealing that migrants were forced to drink urine to stay alive because they had no access to water.

Godwin shared her experience during an interview on the Abdullahi Tahir Balarae Podcast aired on Saturday, July 11, 2026.

According to her, she escaped from a woman she identified as Madam Gold in Bamako, Mali, before deciding to continue her journey towards Libya with the hope of eventually reaching Europe.

Describing the life-threatening conditions in the desert, Godwin said the travellers quickly ran out of water, leaving them severely dehydrated under the scorching Sahara sun.

“We didn’t have water. The boys with us were begging us to urinate and give them to drink. If we wanted to urinate, they would cut a jerrycan and beg us to urinate inside so they could drink. I drank my own urine in the desert,” she said.

She explained that the desperate circumstances reduced survival to the group’s only priority, with many migrants resorting to drinking urine in a bid to stay alive as they battled extreme heat and dehydration.

Godwin’s account highlights the perilous journeys undertaken by many irregular migrants across the Sahara Desert, where a lack of food, water, and medical care, coupled with harsh environmental conditions, has claimed countless lives over the years.

Her testimony also underscores the dangers associated with human trafficking and irregular migration routes through North Africa, often controlled by criminal networks that expose migrants to exploitation, abuse, and life-threatening conditions.

Woman Recounts Drinking Urine to Survive After Escaping Alleged Trafficker in Mali

MURIC Hails Tinubu, Makinde, Security Agencies Over Rescue of 46 Oriire Kidnap Victims

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Nigerian security agencies for the successful rescue of 46 victims abducted from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State after spending 56 days in captivity.

The group described the operation as a major victory against kidnapping and praised the professionalism, resilience and strategic planning that led to the release of the victims.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC said the rescued victims comprised 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers who had been held by kidnappers since their abduction near Ogbomosho.

Akintola lauded President Tinubu for what he described as courageous leadership, Governor Makinde for remaining steadfast throughout the crisis, and the security operatives for their gallantry during the rescue mission.

According to him, the operation demonstrated that rescuing a large number of hostages requires patience, intelligence gathering and careful execution, contrary to criticisms that had trailed the government’s handling of the incident.

He noted that security agencies successfully isolated the kidnappers, restricted their movements and psychologically weakened them before carrying out the rescue operation.

The MURIC leader said many critics failed to appreciate the complexity of the operation, arguing that the abductors had used the victims as human shields, making any hasty military action potentially disastrous.

While congratulating the security agencies, Akintola also paid tribute to officers who lost their lives during the operation, particularly Lt. Festus Isaac and another fallen colleague.

He called on the Federal Government to immortalise the slain officers and adequately compensate their families.

According to him, the Federal Government should consider providing each family with a bungalow, while the Oyo State Government should pay at least N20 million to each bereaved family as compensation.

Akintola also advocated severe punishment for convicted kidnappers, arguing that those responsible for the killing of teacher Michael Oyedokun had forfeited any moral claim to sympathy.

He referenced Islamic law, stating that kidnapping and similar violent crimes attract stringent punishments under Shari’ah, while acknowledging that Nigeria’s democratic legal system follows different judicial procedures.

Despite his strong condemnation of criminality, Akintola urged Nigerians not to allow criminals to exploit religious differences.

He stressed that peaceful Christians and Muslims share a common interest in defeating terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, adding that national unity remains essential in overcoming insecurity.

MURIC therefore called on Nigerians to remain united and support security agencies in the ongoing fight against criminal elements across the country.

MURIC Hails Tinubu, Makinde, Security Agencies Over Rescue of 46 Oriire Kidnap Victims

Kidnappers Kill Zamfara Teacher After Collecting ₦3m Ransom

A teacher, Malam Mustapha Yahaya Maru, who was abducted along the Anka Road in Zamfara State, has reportedly been killed by his captors despite his family paying a ₦3 million ransom to secure his freedom.

The tragic development was disclosed on Saturday by security analyst and journalist Bakatsine in a post on X.

According to him, Maru’s family paid the ransom in the hope of securing his release, but the kidnappers allegedly killed him nonetheless.

Bakatsine wrote: “SAD UPDATE: Malam Mustapha Yahaya Maru, a teacher from Maru who was abducted along Anka Road, has reportedly been killed by his captors despite his family paying ₦3 million ransom.

“A devastating reminder that paying ransom is no guarantee of survival. May Allah forgive him, grant him Jannatul Firdaus, and comfort his family and everyone mourning this tragic loss.”

Maru was abducted in May alongside some of his colleagues while returning to the Federal Government College (FGC), Anka, in Zamfara State.

Following the abduction, Bakatsine had disclosed that the teachers were seized by armed men along the Anka Road, a route that has witnessed repeated attacks by bandits operating in the state. He had appealed for prayers for the safe return of the victims amid the worsening security situation in Zamfara.

The reported killing has further highlighted the growing insecurity in the North-West, where kidnappings for ransom have become frequent despite ongoing military operations against armed groups.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Zamfara State Government nor security agencies had officially confirmed Maru’s death. Likewise, there was no official statement on the circumstances surrounding the alleged payment of the ransom or the fate of the other abducted victims.

Kidnappers Kill Zamfara Teacher After Collecting ₦3m Ransom