Boko Haram Parades 416 Kidnapped Victims in Borno

Boko Haram Parades 416 Kidnapped Victims in Borno

A faction of Boko Haram has released a video showing hundreds of abducted residents from Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, raising fresh concerns over the scale of insurgent activity in the North-East.

The group, identified as Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad, displayed 416 captives in a six-minute video circulated on Friday, claiming those held were in good condition.

The footage largely featured women and children, while a number of men were seen separated from their families. Some of the victims were made to speak on camera, apparently under the watch of their captors.

In the recording, a member of the group said the video was produced in response to a request from the Borno South Youths Alliance, which he said has been engaging the insurgents in efforts to secure the victims’ release.

“We are here to clarify issues as requested,” the spokesperson said, insisting that the captives had not been subjected to abuse and were being treated in line with the group’s interpretation of its religious obligations.

He added that their leader had authorised the recording to allow the victims speak and to counter concerns about their welfare.

One of the abducted women, who identified herself as a resident of Ngoshe, confirmed that the group had attacked their community and taken them away. She said the victims were alive but deeply worried about the fate of relatives left behind.

“We are thankful to be alive,” she said, noting that some of the sick had received treatment while others were provided with food and clothing.

Despite the assurances, she made a direct appeal to authorities, urging urgent intervention to secure their freedom and reunite them with their families.

She called on President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and Governor Babagana Zulum, among other leaders, to act swiftly.

The Borno South Youths Alliance confirmed that 416 persons are currently in captivity, describing the figure as the outcome of days of engagement and humanitarian appeals to the insurgents.

In a statement, the group’s president, Samaila Kaigama, said the number was higher than earlier estimates, which had significantly downplayed the extent of the abduction.

According to him, the victims were taken when insurgents overran Ngoshe, and efforts to secure their release have been ongoing behind the scenes.

The development underscores the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram factions in parts of Borno, despite years of military operations aimed at ending the insurgency.