A 42-year-old nurse, Alice Loksha, who was abducted by Boko Haram in March 2018 while working at a UNICEF office in Rann, Borno State, has escaped after six years in captivity.
The Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, North-East, Major General Wahdi Shuaibu, disclosed this in a press briefing at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri on Friday.
Major General Shuaibu also announced the escape of another abducted woman, Fayina Ali, who was abducted by Boko Haram insurgents on October 19, 2020, while traveling from Kaduna to process her late brother’s death benefits.
She spent approximately four years in captivity.
According to Major General Shuaibu, both Alice and Feyina were forced into marriage with the insurgents while under Boko Haram captivity.
Both women have undergone traumatic experiences and have shown remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.
Representing the Theatre Commander, Deputy Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Chigbu, narrated Alice’s experience: “She 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.
“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.
“Alice, a 42-year-old nurse from Hawul LGA, Borno, was received on behalf of the Borno government by the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo.”
Gambo 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 from Borno state.
“The women will undergo psychosocial support and rehabilitation before being handed over to their families for integration,” Gambo said.
(Text, excluding headline: Saturday Tribune)