Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have released 416 women and children abducted from the Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The development was confirmed on Sunday by the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, who said the captives regained their freedom on June 6 after months in captivity.
According to Kaigama, the release followed sustained engagements and advocacy efforts by the youth group aimed at securing the freedom of the victims.
“We are pleased that all 416 women and children taken from Ngoshe have been released. Their freedom is the result of persistent efforts, continuous appeals, and lengthy discussions carried out over several months,” he said.
Kaigama expressed gratitude to all individuals and groups that contributed to the process, describing the release as a major relief for affected families and the entire community.
He, however, urged the Federal Government, the Borno State Government, and local authorities to carry out comprehensive screening and rehabilitation of the freed captives to ensure their safe reintegration into society.
“We appeal to the relevant authorities to properly profile, screen, and support the released victims as they reunite with their families and communities,” he added.
BOSYA had previously served as an intermediary between the insurgents and families of the abductees, providing updates during efforts to secure their release.
Attempts to obtain an official reaction from the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, were unsuccessful as calls placed to his phone were not answered at the time of filing this report.
The victims were abducted during a Boko Haram attack on Ngoshe in March. During the raid, insurgents reportedly overran a military formation in the area, destroyed operational vehicles, forced security personnel to retreat, and abducted scores of residents, mostly women and children.
The return of the captives marks a significant development in ongoing efforts to address the humanitarian consequences of insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East region.
