21st April, 2022
By Yakubu Uba
Some women rescued in the ongoing military operations in North East have revealed how they were abducted by Boko Haram members and later freed from captivity by Nigerian troops.
The women were rescued in the ongoing operations by the military against Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents in Sambisa forest and fringes of Lake Chad.
Speaking to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on arrival at the headquarters of Joint Task Force North East of “Operation Hadin Kai” in Maiduguri on Wednesday, the women said the military operations gave them the opportunity to escape.
Ms Suzan Lazarus was abducted in April 2021 in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa when the insurgents invaded Kupre her village.
She said about 50 people were abducted by the insurgents on that day.
The 28-year-old applicant said her abductors 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.
Also speaking, 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.
“We seized the opportunity to escape when the military bombed the area,” Inuwa said.
Another woman, Ms Marta Malu, 25, 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”, Malu said.
Other rescued women who lauded the effort of the military include Grace Daniel, 38 who was kidnapped on the Maiduguri – Damaturu Road on Dec. 18, 2020; Maria Adamu, 27, who was kidnapped in Madagali area of Adamawa on Dec. 6, 2020, and Malakaiya Dambade, 37 who was kidnapped on the Maiduguri – Damaturu road.
Speaking on the development, the 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” being conducted by the Theatre Commander has been yielding results.
“We have synergy and together we are able to achieved a lot. We assure the public that we remain focus, dedicated and committed to our task of bringing peace to north east.
“Wherever 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,” Musa said.
He also lauded the public for providing useful information to the military and other security agencies involved in the fight against insurgency.
(NAN)