How rescued Ogun students survived days of ordeal, beatings, crossfire

Four young men, students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State, squeezed into a tiny bath holding their breath.

Outside the locked door, the crisp dependable of gunshots shattered the quiescent evening astatine the backstage pupil hostel on Paraga Road, Ipara-Remo, 1 of the communities adjoining the polytechnic.

Just a fewer minutes past 8 p.m. connected Wednesday, July 29, they had been sitting unneurotic successful their rented apartment, laughing, chatting and relaxing aft a agelong day.

One of the students had conscionable stepped retired to bargain meal and was preparing to caput backmost erstwhile accelerated gunfire tore done the neighbourhood.

Then came a abrupt uproar outside, and idiosyncratic shouted, “Ole, Ole”, (meaning thief, thief), followed by the dependable of footsteps connected the transition floor.

“I thought possibly it was equipped robbers,” 1 of the students recalled.

In desperation, helium attempted to scope a constabulary serviceman stationed successful Saapade via mobile phone, but mediocre web connectivity ended the call.

They decided to fastener themselves successful the bathroom, pressed against the walls, praying that the doorway would ho...