During the period when Boko Haram ravaged the Northern part of Nigeria, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted me to Kaduna State.
At first, I was ecstatic, but as the days drew near, I became apprehensive going to a place you could die in a twinkling of an eye. Nevertheless, my parents were indifferent. “You are now a man,” they told me. “And may God keep you safe.”

So, I decided to travel to Kaduna from Lagos a day before the orientation camp would be formally open to the youth corps members. The camp we were to make use of was located at Chikun local government area of the state. Like father Abraham, I decided to embark on a journey to a strange land without directions on how to get there. I had hoped that when I got to Kaduna I would find my way to the Chikun, on my own. Alas, it was not so.

I got to the park, on the morning preceding the day the orientation camp would open, around 5:30am to board a Kaduna-bound bus. On meeting one of the bus attendants to secure my ticket, he told me the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano bus travels in the evening and would get to Kano in the morning of the following day.

It was an unanticipated situation for me. “Would I wait till evening?” I thought to myself. “No. I can’t wait that long. Besides, I fear travelling at night,” I continued in my thoughts.

While I was still rummaging my mind for the right option, the attendant said, “Oga, you could go to another park two hours from here, they do move in the morning.”

“No,” I shrugged as I turned my back to him.

“Or you could join the Abuja bus. It leaves in an hour and from there board a Kaduna bus.”

“Ehen,” I turned to him with a glimmer of hope. “How many hours is Abuja from here?”

“Eight hours. At most nine,” he grinned.

“And from Abuja to Kaduna?” I quipped.

“Two hours,” he responded.

“So by my calculation, that’s ten to eleven hours.”

He nodded and seemed excited that he was able to “nail” a passenger for his own bus.

As we trudged along to the bus, the day was getting bright and I asked him how many hours it would take from Lagos to Kaduna.

“Thirteen, maybe fourteen.”

“This may be the best option then,” I sighed.

Within the next hour, the bus was occupied and we made for Abuja. According to the attendant’s estimated time of arrival, I had projected that by 7pm, we would arrive Abuja and by 9pm, Kaduna.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we arrived Abuja by 10:50pm. It was a frightening moment for me, as the city was besieged with soldiers brandishing their weapons.

As I thought to sleep over at the park, one of the passengers who knew I was on my way to Kaduna told me there was a bus on its way to Kaduna and could get there before midnight. “The orientation camp is always open throughout the night and the fare is very cheap compared to travelling in the morning,” he added.

“Cheap?” I thought to myself. “What is the probability that I would be safe in the park anyway?”

The low fare erased any fear and doubt of any nocturnal travel for me and I joined the bus. I glanced my phone, it was now 11:34pm and I concluded that by 1:00am, I would be in Chikun. Everyone in the bus except me, was discussing in Hausa. Even the driver was playing a song in Hausa from his stereo. As I was on the seat next to the driver, I tried to tell him I would alight at Chikun and he nodded. Though, not sure he understood English.

I dozed off until an uncertain incident woke me up. It was 2:00am, oblivious of where we were.

Continue

“What is the matter?” I asked, startled. The bus had turned heading south.

“Night robbers,” one of the passengers answered in exasperation.

”Or Boko Haram?” I asked rhetorically, not sure of myself.

Our hearts were in our mouths as the driver was on a top speed like we were in a grand prix.

I didn’t know where we were. Then, we saw flashlights and the driver decelerated.

“Soldiers,” the man beside me exclaimed.

The soldiers approached the driver and made some talk in Hausa.

Then we turned north, but escorted by the soldiers.

We had been travelling with the headlamps off. As we approached the area where we turned, the driver suddenly switched on the headlamps.

The assailants had vanished. The soldiers taught we had fooled them.

At once, we were ordered to come down and were punished for “disturbing” them (I don’t want to write about the punishment).

After several minutes, we were allowed to continue with our journey and the silence was very grave as we moved on.

“Where are we now?” I asked nobody in particular.

“This is serious. We were all punished together,” I thought to myself.

“Are we at Chikun? Because I shall alight there,” I said this as I tapped the driver.

The driver stopped abruptly, got out the bus, came to the passenger side and told me to come down with my luggage. I was dazed. At three o’clock in the morning? All my pleading fell on deaf ears as he cussed in Hausa and zoomed off.

I was marooned in a strange land in the middle of the night, alone. I thought about many things: Boko Haram, night robbers, principalities and powers, owls……. My thoughts were erratic.

So, I trekked on. I had walked some meters when I saw a miniature figure in a sitting form, heads bowed like a bat. I checked my phone, it was 2:47am. I was anxious. The illumination from my phone helped a little.

I tapped the figure on the shoulder, but there was no response at first. I tapped again. Suddenly, it growled.

“Excuse me, could you hel…..,” he screamed at me before I could complete my statement and then gave me a hot chase.

With my bags, I ran a race I had never run before. After some minutes, I sensed I was the only one running and I stopped. My heartbeat was rapid. As I write, I don’t know whether the figure was a male or female. All I know is that, I was chased by a person in a wrong mind.

I was gasping for breath; exhausted, shattered and infuriated. I trekked on resignedly. Unexpectedly, a light flashed at me.

“Who goes there?” A voice rang out. I was afraid.

“Get down on your knees and lie flat,” another voice boomed. I complied immediately.

“Who are you? Boko Haram?”

“No sirs,” I responded with fear. “Corper sir.”

“Ehen. Oya, get up.” As I got up, I realized they were soldiers.

“Where you come from?”

“Lagos, sir.”

“Wetin you come dey do here for middle of the night?”

I narrated my ordeal to them and they had pity on me. As we were talking, I felt relaxed. “Soldiers are not bad after all,” I thought to myself. Though, I was punished an hour ago by some.

It was now 3:50am and my battery was getting low. Just then, a car with two men approached and was stopped by the soldiers. After interrogating them for some minutes, they ordered them to transport me to Chikun. The men were uncomfortable with it, but they obeyed.

I was at the back seat and I was able to rest my eyes a little. After we had moved for some minutes from the vicinity of the soldiers, they woke me up and ordered me to come down with my bags. I sighed as I kept walking alone in the dark in total oblivion of where I was.

Then, I saw a light emanating from a filling station and I made for it. I found a corner, used my backpack as a pillow and rested my head.

Few minutes later, I felt a hand shook me with a torch to my face. I could not see clearly as I was groggy.

He asked a question in Hausa. I just replied, “Lagos.”

“From Lagos?” He asked. I nodded in the affirmative.

Then he patted me and allowed me to sleep. I felt his hands on me some hours later. The sun was now up. He took me to the main road and flagged a car for me which took me to Chikun. He was a security man in that filling station. I thanked him as I left.

When I got to the orientation camp, I was zonked, frazzled, dirty, unkempt, dejected and depressed. Those who came in by flight pitied, yet laughed at me as I narrated my ordeal. It was really an experience in Chikun-an experience also worth writing about.

This is one hell of a story bro, wish it never ended.

If you had to travel down there all over again, what would you have done differently?

cc suurulere

I enjoyed it!

Sorry about your ordeal though, you should probably booked one of those straight to camp buses

“Excuse me, could you hel…..,” he screamed at me before I could complete my statement and then gave me a hot chase. With my bags, I ran a race I had never run before.
This part reminds me of 2011 :

waywardpikin:
This is one hell of a story bro, wish it never ended.

If you had to travel down there all over again, what would you have done differently?

cc suurulere

I would wait till the next day and boarded a bus to Kaduna. l would get there at night, so I would sleep over at the park. Then get transportation to Chikun the next day...

Dottune:
I enjoyed it!

Sorry about your ordeal though, you should probably booked one of those straight to camp buses

Thanks brother!

Ok I'm following the story. .
Ps. . , l might be posted to Kaduna and l know not what to expect.

Suurulere:


Thanks brother! It can not happen again. I can only serve once.

Lol yes o!

Mr Surulere, am very delighted reading your wonderful write up, you wrote perfectly well sir. please i will like you to tell us more about Kadunna, the camp experience, your ppa and then your feelings for the state.

Chriswazo:
Mr Surulere, am very delighted reading your wonderful write up, you wrote perfectly well sir. please i will like you to tell us more about Kadunna, the camp experience, your ppa and then your feelings for the state.

I agree. You write beautifully OP.

cc suurulere

Chriswazo:
Mr Surulere, am very delighted reading your wonderful write up, you wrote perfectly well sir. please i will like you to tell us more about Kadunna, the camp experience, your ppa and then your feelings for the state.

Completed my service year in Calabar, Cross River..

Chriswazo:
Mr Surulere, am very delighted reading your wonderful write up, you wrote perfectly well sir. please i will like you to tell us more about Kadunna, the camp experience, your ppa and then your feelings for the state.

Thank you very much. I Completed my service year in Calabar, Cross River..

waywardpikin:

I agree. You write beautifully OP.
cc suurulere

Thanks Baba..

nice write up OP although KD is my first choice.....I hope am not posted there.

Suurulere:


Thank you very much. I Completed my service year in Cala
bar, cross River..

but the story said u served at kaduna, wow u are interesting

Suurulere:


Thank you very much. I Completed my service year in Calabar, Cross River..

Okay, why did you leave?

agboola495:
but the story said u served at kaduna, wow u are interesting

No! The story said "My Journey to Kaduna". Thanks for the compliment.

wow,,,am following now,,,cos I wanted to be posted to Kaduna,,,nice write-up,,,,, could you pls tell us about aw the camp is,,is it 5 star or 3 star,,ppa,,, accommodation,,,,job prospect after NYsc etc pls cos I don't plan coming home after service,want to settle down there

cc
bigromeo

ibroh22:
wow,,,am following now,,,cos I wanted to be posted to Kaduna,,,nice write-up,,,,, could you pls tell us about aw the camp is,,is it 5 star or 3 star,,ppa,,, accommodation,,,,job prospect after NYsc etc pls cos I don't plan coming home after service,want to settle down there

cc
bigromeo

nt a badt place 2 settle down

Bigromeo:
nt a badt place 2 settle down

I just want you to read the traveling experience

Suurulere:


Thanks dear. KD is now nice and cool. I was there in July (2016) and I'm going again this December. El-Rufai is really trying especially in Kaduna and Zaria.

ok dear ..if you say so ooo

Suurulere:


Then, because of security issues.

Okay, that is a big relief.

ibroh22:

I just want you to read the traveling experience

mehn dat dude write up make sense.4 me gonna take a bus 4rm lag 2 makurdi where my schl dey then d nxt day take a bus 2 kd which is like 6 to 7hrs drive

Bigromeo:
mehn dat dude write up make sense.4 me gonna take a bus 4rm lag 2 makurdi where my schl dey then d nxt day take a bus 2 kd which is like 6 to 7hrs drive

why Makurdi first?

ibroh22:

why Makurdi first?

time frame bro.lag 2 kd straight no b here.lag 2 abj then abj 2 kd aint bad also

My word! This is an adventure, u was petrified whilst reading it. That driver is callous.

Ok

Pls no one should try this trip if traveling to an unknown state. OP is lucky and KD camp being in the Abuja-Kaduna expressway helped too.

A night luxurious bus going to Kaduna-Zaria-Kano is actually the best option, although it seems to be more risky. But you'll get to sleep throughout the trip and wake up circa 5am when the bus is already in Abuja.

By 9am you are in camp.