A year after their abduction, several women freed in Niger State are pregnant or nursing babies, some refusing reintegration, claiming affection for their abductors.
Minna, Niger State – More than a year after they were kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, several women from Niger State have been rescued—some returning home pregnant or carrying babies, with alarming reports that some have developed emotional attachments to their captors.
The women, mostly from Rafi and Shiroro Local Government Areas, were abducted in February 2024 while returning from the market on the Pandogari-Allawa road. They were among the 25 persons taken during that ambush and were rescued only last week by security operatives during an attempted relocation by the terrorists.
According to reports, the women were being moved in commercial buses from Palu-Waya in Shiroro LGA when one of them requested a bathroom stop in Kagara, Rafi LGA. She used the opportunity to raise an alarm, leading to the rescue of the women and the arrest of the bus driver. Authorities later discovered a cache of ammunition hidden in one of the women’s bags.
Police sources confirmed that the women are currently being held at the police headquarters in Minna for medical checks and further investigation. In a shocking revelation, one of the rescued victims has been identified as a missing Chibok girl, abducted in 2014.
Community sources in Allawa have confirmed the identity of four of the rescued women, who were part of the group kidnapped on February 14, 2024. "We are relieved that the last four women have been found. However, this rescue comes with emotional distress as many of them are returning with children conceived in captivity," a local elder said.
Even more concerning are reports that some of the women have refused to return home, insisting on rejoining the terrorists. A relative of one victim stated, “Some of these women now say they prefer life with the terrorists. They need immediate psychological help and deradicalisation.”
One of the rescued women reportedly declared her love for her captor, saying she had memorised his phone number and could still reach him. Another, cradling a newborn, allegedly told police she intended to return to the bush.
Security experts and mental health professionals have raised alarms, stressing the need for urgent intervention, as the situation underscores the psychological toll and complex trauma inflicted during prolonged captivity.
Police investigations are ongoing, and the rescued women are expected to undergo thorough mental health evaluations and reintegration assessments in the coming weeks.
0 Comments