By Ado Oyeyemi
A nurse rescued after spending nearly six months in captivity has recounted how she helped 10 pregnant women deliver their babies with her bare hands while held by terrorists in Kwara State.
The nurse, Amirah Salihu, was among the 176 women and children abducted during the February 3 attack on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state.
Salihu, who is the daughter of the Chief of Woro, Umar Salihu, disclosed her experience during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.
She said the captives endured severe hunger, exposure to harsh weather and deplorable living conditions throughout their ordeal.
According to her, the abductors provided the victims with guinea corn, salt and seasoning, while other basic ingredients were largely unavailable.
“The kind of food they gave us was bad. The day we got there, they gave us guinea corn with salt and Maggi. Every day after that, they gave us one bag of corn without oil or pepper,” she said.
The nurse added that the captives were sometimes given kuka, but that the food was eventually stopped.
She further disclosed that the victims were forced to sleep in exposed areas, including near a river, despite frequent rainfall.
Salihu said her nursing skills became crucial when some of the women went into labour during captivity.
She explained that the terrorists asked if there was a nurse among the captives, prompting her to assist women who needed help during childbirth.
“I helped about 10 women deliver their babies without gloves. I used my hands to assist them,” she said.
According to her, the terrorists later discovered that she was a nurse and attempted to persuade her to remain with them, but she rejected the offer because she wanted to return home.
Salihu also alleged that her two brothers were killed during the attack.
She said the attackers targeted the community after her father resisted their attempt to gain access to the village and arranged for soldiers to protect the residents.
The nurse recalled that the attackers eventually arrived when the soldiers were no longer present and began attacking the community.
She said she immediately recognised the attackers by their appearance and described them as Boko Haram members.
Explaining what the terrorists told the captives about their motives, Salihu said they claimed to be acting in accordance with their interpretation of Islam and opposed Nigeria’s democratic system.
She, however, said none of the captives was sexually assaulted during the period.
The victims were released on Wednesday after spending almost six months in captivity.
The Kwara State Government said 13 children died while in captivity, while 12 other abductees were still being held by the terrorists.
Following their release, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq received the rescued victims in Ilorin on Friday and expressed sympathy to families who lost loved ones.
The governor also thanked President Bola Tinubu and the military authorities for their roles in securing the victims’ release.
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AbdulRazaq later visited a general hospital where 14 rescued victims, including three women who gave birth while in captivity, were receiving medical attention.
