A 42-year-old nurse, Alice Loksha, who was abducted in 2018 by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State, has regained her freedom. Alice, who was captured while working at a UNICEF office in Kala Balge, managed to escape her captors after enduring years of hardship.
During a press briefing in Maiduguri, the Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, North-East, Major General Wahdi Shuaibu, represented by his deputy, Major General Kenneth Chigbu, revealed that Alice had been forced into marriage with two different insurgent commanders during her captivity. She was first married to Abu Umar, with whom she had a son named Mohammed. Following Umar's death, she was married off to another commander, Abu Simak. Alice escaped from the Dogon Chuku camp on October 24, 2024, and arrived at the Joint Task Force headquarters on October 29, where she received immediate medical attention.
The commander also announced the escape of another abductee, Fayina Ali, who was taken by insurgents in 2020 while traveling from Kaduna to process her late brother’s death benefits. Fayina endured captivity in various locations, including the Kangaruwa and Tumbunma enclaves, for nearly four years. She eventually escaped and found refuge.
Both women, according to the commander, displayed remarkable courage and resilience despite the traumatic experiences they endured.
Receiving the survivors on behalf of the Borno State Government, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, praised the Nigerian Army for its efforts in restoring peace to the Northeast. She assured that the state government would ensure the women receive comprehensive psychosocial support and rehabilitation before being reintegrated into their families.
The insurgency led by Boko Haram has wreaked havoc across Nigeria and neighboring countries, causing widespread displacement, severe humanitarian crises, and the loss of thousands of lives. The group has increasingly relied on kidnappings as a tactic for funding and instilling fear.
