A rescued abductee from Woro community in Kwara State, Fatima Mohammed, has recounted the harrowing conditions she and other victims endured during more than six months in terrorist captivity.
Mohammed, one of the abductees recently rescued from the terrorists, said the captives were forced to sleep in the open, endured hunger and had no spare clothes throughout their ordeal.
She said whenever rain soaked their clothes, the victims had no option but to remain in them until their bodies dried the clothes.
“There were no rooms to sleep in. We slept in the open, even when it was raining.
“We did not have clothes to change. Whenever our clothes got soaked by the rain, they dried on our bodies because we had nothing else to wear,” she recalled.
Mohammed said she spent approximately six months and two weeks in captivity before regaining her freedom.
Despite the ordeal, she expressed relief and excitement at the prospect of returning to her family.
“I am very excited because I am going to be reunited with my family again,” she said.
The victims were recently handed over to the Niger State Government by the Federal Government following their rescue.
Another survivor, 17-year-old Isyaka Ahmed, disclosed that he was threatened with death after attempting to escape from the terrorists.
“They threatened to kill me when I tried to escape,” Ahmed said.
The teenager identified hunger and physical stress as among the major challenges faced by the abductees during their captivity.
He, however, revealed that some boys were still being held by the terrorists, raising fresh concerns over the fate of those yet to regain their freedom.
Ahmed said he was grateful to have survived and reunited with his family.
Receiving the rescued victims on behalf of the Niger State Government, the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Dantoro, described their return as a moment of profound joy for the community.
“Today is like a Sallah day in our kingdom,” the traditional ruler said.
The rescue brings relief to families who had endured months of uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones, but the account of the survivors highlights the severe humanitarian conditions faced by people held captive by armed groups.
The disclosure by Ahmed that some boys remain in captivity also underscores the continuing security challenge in the affected communities and the need for sustained efforts to secure the release of those still being held.
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