Kidnapping: Six women, nine children walk six days in forest, escaping Boko Haram hostage

An official of the Borno State government on Monday revealed that six women and nine children kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists in the Borno, Northeast Nigeria, walking through the forest for six days while escaping from the Boko Haram camp in the forest.

It was indicated that the Boko Haram terrorists had kidnapped 15 persons from the farming villages in Takulashi, Chibok district in Borno State, and Cofure in adjacent Hong district in Adamawa State. They victims were held hostage for several months.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs in Borno State, Zuwaira Gambo, narrated that three hostages and their five children were kidnapped in a raid on Takulashi in October 2020, adding that the other three and their four children were kidnapped in Cofure in May 2021.

According to the Commissioner, one of the kidnapped victims who escaped from the Boko Haram terrorists’ hostage and walked into freedom, were identified to include a woman from Cofure with eight months pregnancy; she was asaid to have “trekked for six days” from Buni Yadi forest in Yobe State to Damboa Town in Borno State, walking a distance of about 90 kilometres (56 miles).

Gambo expressed that the escapees showed courage in deciding to flee the Boko Haram camp and walking day and night in the forest to where they could get held. The commissioner, presenting the escapees to Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State and Christian leaders, stated that “They have displayed resilience, trekking in the bush for six days.”

Governor Zulum, receiving the escapees, simply said, “We thank God Almighty for rescuing and protecting you from the hands of terrorists.”