BEVERLY HILLS, CA, July 06, (THEWILL) – No fewer than 63 women abducted from different parts of Borno State may have escaped from their Boko Haram abductors.
Local sources told THEWILL that the women, who made a surprise appearance weekend, may have taken the opportunity of relaxed watch on the terrorists’ camps where they were held hostage to made good their escape.
A security source disclosed to THEWILL that the escape of the women may have been made possible by the loss the insurgents suffered when they attacked military and security facilities in Damboa last Friday.
About two weeks ago, Boko Haram gunmen were said to have allegedly abducted about 68 women from Kummabza village in Damboa Local Government Area of the state.
Though the reported abduction was later denied by the Federal Government, the Borno State government treated the case as the state governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, set up an investigative panel into the alleged abduction.
Although the report of the investigation is yet to be submitted, there are insinuations that a cover-up of the reported abduction was being planned, especially as a top Borno Government official had confirmed the abduction.
Security sources as well as local sources said 63 out of the 68 women abducted two weeks ago from three Borno villages by Boko Haram gunmen actually escaped as local sources said the women who looked unkempt returned home on Saturday.
A member of the youth vigilante in one of the villages, Adamu Suleiman, said: “I have just received an alert from my colleagues in Damboa area that about 63 of the abducted women and girls had made it back home. They took their heels when the camp where they were held up had sparse men as many of their abductors had gone on a major operation.
“We don’t have the details of their escape yet, but we believe God gave them the opportunity at the time the insurgents came in their large numbers to attack Damboa on Friday.
“We still believe five women could still be in the camp or perhaps something must have happened to them.”
His disclosure came as a top security officer, craving anonymity, said half of the women who escaped have already been reunited with their families with the other half who were found wandering in the bushes near Adamawa State are now with soldiers in Gulak town.
