About 158 women and children previously abducted by Boko Haram sect members from Katarko village in Yob State have been reunited with their relatives in the state capital, Damaturu after spending three weeks in the lair of their captors.
Yobe State Commissioner for Justice, Ahmed Goniri, who double as the Chairman of the Yobe State Committee on Rehabilitation of Victims of Insurgency made this known while speaking to journalists on Thursday, February 19, 2015 in Damaturu, availing that the victims had been released about three weeks ago but had to be screened and observed to ascertain they were indeed taken captive.
Goniri said: [pull_quote_center]“The victims were screened by security operatives to authenticate their status while government provided them with psychological therapy to ease their trauma.”[/pull_quote_center]
A displaced person, Abdurahman Dauda revealed that his wife and six daughters were among those who were released, although two of his sons were still ion the custody of the insurgents.
He said: [pull_quote_center]“Two of my boys are still in their custody, but I am of high spirit that they will soon be rescued.”[/pull_quote_center]
A victim, who spoke on the condition of anonymity posited thus: [pull_quote_center]“To be fair to the insurgents, they did not rape or abuse us; they simply asked those who were not interested in their religion to leave, and they eventually released us.”[/pull_quote_center]
While presenting relief materials to the vicitms, Goniri sympathized with them, adding that about 20 boys were still with the sect members and will be rescued in due time considering the renewed military operations.
