A Zamfara State woman, identified simply as Aisha, has recounted a harrowing ordeal in which armed bandits allegedly forced her to bury her own children after they were killed during months of captivity in the forest.
Aisha, who survived after spending about six months in kidnappers’ den, said she was abducted alongside her three children while travelling in a commercial vehicle in Zamfara State when armed men ambushed them and opened fire, forcing the vehicle to a halt.
According to her account in an interview with DW Hausa, she and other passengers were taken into the forest after the attack.
“They suddenly opened fire, forcing our vehicle to stop. My three children and I, along with other passengers, were abducted and taken into the forest,” she said.
The victim, who said she is now the only surviving member of her immediate family, disclosed that she endured months of hunger, sickness, physical abuse and psychological trauma while in captivity.
She alleged that two of her children were killed by the bandits during the period and that she was compelled to bury them herself in the forest.
“I was forced to bury every victim who died in captivity, including my own children. They first killed two of my children and ordered me to bury them,” she said.
Aisha further narrated that her infant son later died after sustaining injuries in captivity, adding that the armed men initially considered disposing of the child’s remains but later allowed her to bury him.
“My baby was sleeping beside my daughter when he died. They wanted to feed his remains to their dogs, but I begged them to let me bury him. They threw a spade at me and I buried my son myself,” she recounted.
She described the conditions in the camp as inhumane, saying the children suffered hunger, thirst and constant assault.
“My children constantly cried from hunger, thirst, pain and the beating they received from the bandits,” she added.
Aisha said she eventually escaped under the cover of darkness after spending about three days navigating the forest before reaching a nearby settlement.
“It was around midnight when we followed a route out of the forest. We spent three days trying to find our way out before finally reaching a settlement,” she said.
The survivor, whose physical condition reportedly reflects the trauma of her ordeal, has appealed for urgent medical attention and humanitarian support.
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