Zulum Visits Freed Borno Abductees, Announces Rehabilitation Plan
Victims from Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State who recently regained freedom after three months in captivity have recounted their ordeal, including how they were fed and how they eventually came under military custody after their release.
Zulum visits freed Borno abductees, announces rehabilitation plan
This is just as the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, visited the victims on Monday, announcing that funds had been released for the rehabilitation of Ngoshe community.
A total of 360 victims, mostly women and children abducted during an attack on March 4, regained their freedom on June 6.
The victims, in an exclusive interview on Monday in Pulka, Gwoza LGA, said they survived largely on guinea corn throughout their captivity.
One of them, Halima Musa, said the women were responsible for preparing their meals, which they were fed once daily.
She narrated, “We ate only guinea corn once a day. If you eat around 2pm, till the next day. Sometimes, no soup is provided. We are the one cooking the food. They give us what to cook”.
She added, “We slept on open floors on the mountain”.
Another victim, who simply identified herself as Khadijat, said there was no contact or gunfire throughout the process of their release.
“We did not see any soldier. The terrorists brought us down from ontop of the mountain. They were moving with machine (bike), while we move on foot. At a certain point, they left us while we made our way out to the soldiers” she said.
She also noted that among those freed were victims abducted from another community who had spent seven months in captivity.
“We met other people there who were kidnapped before us. Eleven of them, they have spent seven months there. They were abducted from a river where they went to farm fish. But all of us came out together,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, visited the victims on Monday, announcing that funds had been released for the rehabilitation of Ngoshe community.
Zulum praised President Bola Tinubu for what he described as personal intervention in the rescue process, as well as the efforts of security agencies.
“I want to express my deepest appreciation, on behalf of the government and people of Borno State and Gwoza community in particular, to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Security and all other security agencies, including our gallant Civilian JTF, Forest Guards, Vigilante and Hunters, who have participated immensely in ensuring the release of these abducted men, women and children,” Zulum added.
“We are here to felicitate with Ngoshe community following the release of the abducted women and children numbering about 434. What we saw this morning is about 360 released two days ago. But some two to three weeks ago, we also received about other persons, totalling about 434,” Zulum explained.
According to the governor, “Government has released millions of naira to rehabilitate the Ngoshe community. So far, the work is nearly complete. We are also interfacing with the community about their return to Ngoshe; those that are willing to return, we are working with the Nigerian military to establish institutional arrangements that will ensure their safe and dignified return.”
Zulum also directed the distribution of relief materials, including food and non-food items, to the released persons as part of immediate intervention.
