A 42-year-old nurse, Alice Loksha, has regained her freedom six years after her abduction by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
Speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri, the state capital, on Friday, the Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, North-East, Major General Wahdi Shuaibu, explained that Boko Haram captured Loksha in 2018, while she was working at a UNICEF office in Kala Balge.
Represented by his deputy, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Chigbu, the commander also announced the escape of another abducted woman, Fayina Ali, captured by Boko Haram insurgents in 2020 while travelling from Kaduna to process her late brother’s death benefits.
He lamented that both abductees were forced into marriage with the insurgents while in captivity.
“Fayina was forced to marry Abu Umar, with whom she had a son, Mohammed. After Abu Umar’s death, she was forced into another marriage to ISWAP Commander Abu Simak.
“She later escaped from Dogon Chuku camp on October 24, 2024, and arrived at HQ TC on October 29, 2024, where she received medical attention,” he said.
He further explained that Fayina was initially held at Kangaruwa enclave for nine months, then transferred to Tumbunma for three years, and returned to Kangaruwa for another year before escaping.
He added that both women have undergone traumatic experiences and have shown remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.
The Borno state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, who received the abductees on behalf of the state government, commended the Nigerian Army for restoring peace in the North-East region and Borno State in particular.
She assured the military that the two women would receive extensive care, assuring that they will undergo psychosocial support and rehabilitation before being handed over to their families for integration.