Hafsat, a 26-year-old mother of three, was abducted by Boko Haram militants in Yaza, Borno state almost a year ago. She says the day of abduction was the last time she saw her two elder sons, who were eight and six years old.
When jihadists came to her village 11 months ago they started killing everyone in sight. Women were separated from their children and forced to watch their husbands murdered and their houses burnt.
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“When the shooting stopped, we were all led like animals into the forest”, tells Hafsat, who carried her youngest two-year-old son in her arms. “I saw babies die and watched in pain as children were asked to bury them.”
According to her, she was flogged daily for 11 months because she refused to renounce her religion.
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“In Sambisa Forest, I was asked to renounce my religion or be treated as a slave. I refused, and I was flogged daily. I did the chores and was given maize and guinea-corn peels to eat. At that time, it meant a lot because some days I had nothing to eat.”
Hafsat is now living in the Malkohi camp in Yola, Adamawa State. It has become a home to the 275 females rescued from Boko Haram militants recently by Nigerian army. The camp houses more than 1,000 refugees including women and children recently rescued from Sambisa forest.
Some women recently rescued by Nigerian troops from Boko Haram insurgents have confessed that they never knew that elections have been held in the country, which led to the defeat of Goodluck Jonathan.