Some of the 360 abductees recently rescued in Borno State have described the harsh conditions they endured while being held captive in the Mandara Mountains, revealing that six children died from illness and starvation during their ordeal.
According to Punch Newspaper, the victims spoke after reuniting with their families in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area, following their rescue by troops of Operation Hadin Kai.
The abductees were among 416 residents seized during a terrorist attack on Ngoshe on March 4 and taken to an enclave operated by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), a faction linked to Boko Haram.
Operation Hadin Kai announced on Sunday that the captives had been rescued after weeks of intelligence gathering, covert reconnaissance and operational planning involving special forces and troops from Sector 1.
Recounting her experience, one of the freed captives, Halima Musa, said six children died while in captivity after falling ill.
“While in captivity, we lost six children, two boys and four girls. They died after falling sick,” she said.
Musa added that food was scarce, with captives often surviving on a single meal of guinea corn each day.
“We ate only guinea corn once a day. If you ate around 2pm, you would have to wait until the next day before eating again. Sometimes, there was no soup.”
Another former captive, who requested anonymity, said he observed a structured food distribution system among the terrorists, suggesting they may have access to farming operations.
The Borno State Government said no ransom was paid for the release of the abductees, crediting the military operation for their freedom.
According to counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, the rescued victims arrived at a temporary camp in Ngoshe on Sunday afternoon, where they were welcomed by family members, community leaders and residents.
Speaking during the reception, Nura Abdullahi, commander of the 26 Task Force Brigade, reaffirmed the military’s commitment to restoring peace across north-east Nigeria.
He urged residents to continue supporting security agencies by providing credible information to help combat insurgency and maintain stability in the region.
Community representative Sulaiman Bello commended the military and security agencies for securing the captives’ release and pledged continued cooperation with efforts to rebuild and resettle Ngoshe.
