How I Escaped Death In Bauchi

Mrs. Joy Alozie, a teacher/businesswoman, who escaped being killed in Bauchi State during the bloody violence that greeted the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan at the April election, recounts her experience. Alozie, a MSC holder in Education from University of Jos told EMMANUEL UDOM that her world is fast crumbling as she is yet to make contact with her husband, while all her worldly possessions have been reduced to ashes.

Tell us how you survived the Bauchi violence.

Well, about a week after the announcement by INEC that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan beat Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential poll, the north was on fire. In Bauchi State where I am resident with my husband and children, we were relaxing in our parlour, when suddenly we heard loud noise and shouting in the area.

Before we knew what was happening, we discovered it was protest or what I described as riots, which eventually degenerated into violence where people were killed, injured, houses burnt etc. My husband and I, obviously afraid of being killed, left the parlour without carrying anything from our flat and my shop, which was located just a few metres to my house and began to run in different directions.

Which area in Bauchi?

Hazeri, in Bauchi State.

What do you think actually caused the bloody violence?

As I said earlier, the protests which degenerated into bloody violence started after the announcement by INEC that Jonathan floored Buhari in the presidential election. But before this stage, though I am from Abia State, I understand a bit of Hausa language having stayed in the north for more than 20 years.

There was this allegation spreading in Hausa language that the speech delivered by Buhari during meetings held secretly in some mosques caused the mayhem. I am a Christian, not a Muslim, and therefore did not attend such meetings, if there was any. But, I dare say that if the allegations were true, that may have equally contributed to the violence.

What was the content of the alleged speech?

The allegation was that Buhari planned to Islamize Nigeria; and his failure at the poll may have angered his core loyalists, which ignited the riots.

How did you escape being killed in Bauchi?

My brother, it was not easy. As soon as the riot started, my husband fled our home with nothing. Same thing for me. In Hazeri area, some Christians and southerners with military friends brought military vehicles and buses armed with soldiers and escorts. They were conveying people free from Bauchi to Kano State. I joined one of the buses. In Kano, I traced a friend who is resident at Aba Road and the friend gave me some of her clothes and money, and advised that I should travel to Abuja immediately. When I arrived Abuja, another friend of mine on hearing the trauma I passed through called Dr. (Mrs.) Grace Achum, one of my childhood friends, who sent me money to facilitate my journey to Lagos.

Since I arrived Lagos, I have been staying with Achum, who has been feeding, clothing and assisting me with money.

Since you departed Bauchi unceremoniously, have you re-established contact with your husband and children?

No. up till now, I have not heard nor seen my husband, Sunday. I have four children, a boy and three girls.

As luck will have it, I met Emmanuel, my son alive with a relation in Kano, while my two daughters are medical and law students at the University of Jos. They are presently on campus, since they did not come to Bauchi when the riots broke out

While in Bauchi State, what were you doing?

As I said earlier, I went to Bauchi from Abia State more than 20 years ago; I studied Education at University of Jos for my first degree and a Masters in Education from the same university. After my university education, I worked briefly as a teacher before I established my own nursery and primary school – Happy Home Nursery/Primary School, Hazeri, Bauchi. Regrettably, the school was first burnt down in 2006, we renovated, and again it was reduced to ashes in 2009. This forced me to abandon the school business and get myself a shop, which was burnt down alongside my flats with my all worldly possessions and certificates during the recent violence.

We sympathies with you on this. Where do you go from here?

Honestly I am confused, shocked and depressed. My blood pressure is high, since I am having sleepless nights thinking about the whereabout or the safety of my husband and children. I pray God to specially bless the family of Mrs. Achum for their generosity and kindness towards me. Achum even linked me up with her lawyer, Barrister Silas Udoh, who is trying to draw the attention of the Presidency and the Abia State government to the trauma I am presently going through. God will bless them all.