More than 400 women and children abducted by suspected Boko Haram militants in northeastern Nigeria have been released, according to a local youth organization involved in efforts to secure their freedom.
Samaila Kaigama, president of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), said 416 captives from Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State were released on Saturday after months in captivity.
“BOSYA has secured the release of all the Ngoshe 416 women and children. They were released on June 6,” Kaigama said.
He said the organization had engaged in prolonged discussions and advocacy efforts aimed at securing the captives’ release.
“We are happy and grateful that through our efforts, our persistent cries and long discussions, the results are now being seen,” he added.
Kaigama called on federal, state and local authorities to conduct proper screening and provide necessary support for the released captives.
Authorities had not officially commented on the development as of Sunday. Efforts to obtain a response from Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security Usman Tar were unsuccessful.
The captives were among residents abducted following attacks linked to Boko Haram activities in the area.
In March, suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked a military base in Ngoshe, burning operational vehicles, dispersing security personnel, killing an unspecified number of people and abducting several residents, according to local reports.
The insurgency by Boko Haram and its splinter groups has plagued northeastern Nigeria for more than a decade, displacing millions of people and causing thousands of deaths across the region.
