13 die, 12 children remain in Kwara terrorists’ den

The harrowing ordeal of victims abducted in Kwara State, Nigeria, has revealed that at least 13 captives died during their nearly six-month captivity, while 12 children are still being held by the terrorists. The survivors, rescued on Wednesday, shared their experiences with Saturday PUNCH after being formally received by the Kwara State Government.

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Thirteen people died among us during our time in captivity. Twelve children are still with the terrorists. They were not released with us because the abductors had threatened that those who tried to leave would become slaves.

Nafisat Abdulfatai, one of the survivors, recounted the severe deprivation faced by the group. They were fed only once a day, with meals often consisting of just salt and lacking any other ingredients. The captives survived mainly on a local dish called 'luru' soup, and at times resorted to eating items they never imagined consuming. There were days with no food from morning until night, with the single meal sometimes arriving as late as 7 or 8 p.m.

Abdulfatai also detailed the terrifying reason why 12 children were not released with the adults. The abductors allegedly threatened that any child attempting to leave would become a slave. Fearful of this fate, the children agreed to remain behind, with two reportedly being specifically forced to stay due to their age. The survivors expressed prayers for the safe return of these remaining children.

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We were not allowed to eat what we wanted. Most days, we ate only once. Our meals were prepared with only salt, there was no oil or other ingredients. We survived mainly on ‘luru’ soup. Many of us ended up eating things we never imagined we would eat in our lifetime.

While the captives were not subjected to routine physical assault, the psychological toll and physical suffering were immense. They endured months sleeping in the open forest, exposed to the elements. A brief period of respite occurred when the terrorists slaughtered cattle for five consecutive days, and again before the captives' release. However, this did not alleviate the overall suffering. The victims were also given cloth on two occasions, but this gesture did little to lessen their hardship. The abductors, believed to be Boko Haram, had attacked the Woro and Nuku communities after residents rejected their extremist ideology, razing homes and killing scores of residents.

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We slept inside the thick bush. The first rainfall came while we were completely exposed, and it ended while we were still there.