The six women rescued by troops after they escaped Boko Haram den following a joint air and land bombardment of terrorists enclave in Sambisa forest in the ongoing military operations in North East have narrated gory details of how they were forced into slavery and how a Policewoman abducted along with them was killed.
The women are Grace Daniel age 38 years kidnapped at Mainok along Maiduguri Road On 18 December 2020, Susan Lazarus aged 28 years kidnapped at Kupre Hong LGA Adamawa on 9 April 2021 and Jumai Inuwa aged 42 years kidnapped along Damaturu – Maiduguri highway on 19 October 2020, Maria Adamu aged 27 years kidnapped at Gulak Adamawa state on 6 December 2020, Martha Malu aged 25 years kidnapped at Damboa road on 1 December 2020 and Malakalya Dambade aged 37 years kidnapped at Mainok along Maiduguri highway on 25 February 2021.
One of them, Ms Marta Malu said she was kidnapped on the Damboa – Askira road in December 2021 alongside six government construction workers and a policeman.
“We were eight. They took us to Sambisa and after one week they killed the policeman”.
She commended the military for the renewed onslaught in Sambisa and fringes of Lake Chad that led to their rescue.
Ms Suzan Lazarus, abducted in April 2021 in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa when the insurgents invaded thier village of Kupre, said about 50 people were abducted that day.
Lazarus said she is an applicant and that her adductors took them to an area known as Timbuktu Triangle before taking them to the shores of lake Chad.
“I give glory to God and say thank you to the military for our rescue but I am still worried about the faith of others , ” Lazarus said.
Miss Jummai Inuwa, who was abducted on the Maiduguri- Damaturu road on Oct. 10, 2020 said she was taken to the shores of Lake Chad where she “was subjected to work as a slave” .
“Some of us tried to escape but the place is like an island surrounded by water. It was difficult to escape because it was very muddy.
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“We seized the opportunity to escape when the military bombed the area,” Inuwa said.
Other rescued women who lauded the effort of the military include Grace Daniel, 38, Maria Adamu, 27 and Malakaiya Dambade, 37 years old.
The women spoke on arrival at the headquarters of Joint Task Force North East of “Operation Hadin Kai” in Maiduguri on Wednesday saying the military operations gave them the opportunity to escape.
While receiving them, Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force North East of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.- Gen. Christopher Musa, said the renewed onslaught under the ongoing “Operation Lake Chad Sanity” being conducted by Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and “Operation Desert Sanity” by the Theatre Command has been yielding results.
He said, “We have synergy and together we are able to achieved a lot. We assure the public that we remain focussed, dedicated and committed to our task of bringing peace to north east.
“Where ever the insurgents are we will go after them. We will ensure that all those being held hostage are freed.
” We thank Mr President and Service Chiefs for the support they are giving us which has made it possible for us to be achieving successes”.
He also commended the public for providing useful information to the military and other security agencies involved in the fight against insurgency.
Earlier, Col. Obinna, the Acting Theatre Intelligence Coordinator of theTask Force who presented brief on the rescued women said they were saved by troops in Malamfatori axis.
“We want to salute them for their bravery and determination to live,” Obinna said.
Recall that in an encounter with Boko Haram Terrorists/ISWAP insurgents in the course of further clearance operations by MNJTF troops around Tunbun Fulani and Tunbun Rago, six (6) traumatized female BHTs hostages managed to escape and were found by own troops who then assisted them and brought them to own troop’s location.
“They were professionally handled and given medical care in the bush and subsequently moved to Maiduguri for further processing and handover to the civil authorities before they rejoin their families.
Preliminary investigation had revealed that the rescued women hailed from Adamawa, Borno, Gombe and Yobe states and were kidnapped at different places and times by the evil and criminally minded BHTs/ISWAP ranging from October 2020 to April 2021.
END
