I Lost My Three Children and My Husband — Freed Ngoshe Victim Tells of Hunger, Grief and Survival
What began as an ordinary day in Ngoshe, a border community in Borno State’s Gwoza Local Government Area, turned into a nightmare for hundreds of residents when armed insurgents stormed the town and carried away men, women and children into captivity.
More than three months later, many of those survivors are finally back home, but they have returned with stories marked by loss, hunger and heartbreak.
Among them is Hafsat Musa, whose pain remains difficult to put into words.
Recalling her time in captivity, she said she lost her husband and three children while being held in the Mandara Mountains, where abductees endured severe hardship and uncertainty.
“We all suffered hunger and starvation,” she said, describing days spent without adequate food, shelter or basic care.
The captives were reportedly held in remote locations and caves, surviving on meagre rations while cut off from their families and the outside world. For many, each day was a struggle to stay alive.
Another survivor, Aisha Bukar, said the victims often ate only once a day, relying on raw corn soaked in water.
Even after regaining freedom, she said the effects of prolonged starvation continue to affect many of them, including children who are still battling health complications.
Their freedom came after troops of Operation Hadin Kai carried out rescue operations in the Mandara Mountains, leading to the release of hundreds of captives.
The survivors are now sheltering at the Pulka Internally Displaced Persons camp, where they are receiving medical treatment, counselling and other forms of humanitarian support.
During a visit to the camp, Governor Babagana Zulum said a total of 434 abducted persons had regained their freedom through a combination of rescue efforts and phased releases.
He also disclosed that reconstruction work in Ngoshe is nearing completion as authorities prepare for the eventual return of displaced residents.
For many survivors, however, freedom has come with the burden of rebuilding lives shattered by tragedy.
As families reunite and communities begin the long process of healing, the testimonies emerging from Ngoshe offer a sobering reminder of the human cost of insecurity and the enduring scars left behind long after captivity ends.
