‘Our clothes dried on our bodies after every rain’, Freed Kwara abductee recounts six-month ordeal

A rescued abductee from Woro community in Kwara State, Fatima Mohammed, has shared how she and other victims survived six months in terrorist captivity, saying they slept in the open and wore the same clothes throughout the ordeal because they had nothing else to change into.

Fatima Mohammed, one of the 145 rescued abductees from Woro in Kwara State, has described the harsh conditions she and others endured during more than six months in the custody of terrorists.

The victims were recently handed over to the Niger State Government by the Federal Government after their rescue.

Speaking after regaining her freedom, Fatima said they spent six months and two weeks in captivity, where they faced hunger, exposure to the weather and a lack of basic necessities.

“I am very excited because I am going to be reunited with my family again,” she said.

Recalling their daily struggle, she said the captives had no shelter and were forced to sleep outside every night, whether it rained or not.

“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.

Fatima said the abductees also struggled with inadequate food throughout their time in captivity.

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Another rescued victim, 17-year-old Isyaka Ahmed, said he was threatened with death after trying to escape from the terrorists.

“They threatened to kill me when I tried to escape,” he said.

The teenager said hunger and physical stress were the biggest challenges the victims faced during their ordeal.

He also disclosed that some boys are still being held by the terrorists.

Despite the experience, Isyaka expressed happiness at being reunited with his family.

Receiving the rescued abductees on behalf of the Niger State Governor, the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Dantoro, described the return of the victims as a moment of joy for the emirate.

“Today is like a Sallah day in our kingdom,” the traditional ruler said, thanking God for the safe return of the rescued victims.