Residents of Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State have spoken about the harsh conditions they endured during three months in terrorist captivity before regaining freedom.
About 360 victims, mostly women and children, were among 416 people abducted during an attack on Ngoshe on March 4, 2026. Speaking in Pulka on Monday, the freed captives said they survived on one meal of guinea corn a day, with no soup on some days. The women prepared the food while the captors supplied the grains.
“We ate only guinea corn, once a day. If you ate around 2 p.m., you would have to wait until the next day before eating again,” said Halima Musa, one of the freed captives. She added that the group slept on bare floors on a mountain and had limited access to water. Six children died during the period after falling sick.
Some victims alleged that 13 male teenagers aged 13 to 17 were separated from the group before release and kept by the terrorists to serve as fighters. Others said they noticed food supplies being dropped at the camp and redistributed to other terrorist locations, suggesting the group may have farms elsewhere.
The captives said there was no gunfire or military engagement during their release. According to Khadijat, another freed captive, the terrorists brought them down from the mountain on foot while riding motorcycles. “At a certain point, they left us and we made our way to the soldiers,” she said.
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Several victims also claimed that eight to nine Ghana-Must-Go bags were brought to the enclave on motorcycles less than 24 hours before their release. While they said they did not see the contents, they described it as unusual. The women said they were separated from the men and were not harassed.
The Borno State Government has denied that ransom was paid for the release. Commissioner for Information and Internal Security Usman Tar said the operation was intelligence-driven and carried out by the military with support from the Department of State Services. “There was no ransom payment. There was a daring military operation that led to the rescue of the 360 citizens,” he said.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum visited the victims in Pulka and thanked President Bola Tinubu, the military, and other security agencies for their roles. He said the state had committed funds to rehabilitate Ngoshe and was working to facilitate the safe return of displaced residents. Relief materials have been distributed, and the victims are receiving medical and psychosocial support.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Askira, said 42 schoolchildren abducted from Mussa community in Askira/Uba LGA remain in captivity three weeks after their abduction, with no contact from the kidnappers. He appealed for their unconditional release, saying, “These are children, not soldiers or politicians. They are the future of Borno State and Nigeria.”
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