Boko Haram militants have released a group of 48 abducted women from the Maiwa and Shuwarin villages located in the Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State. This outcome followed the payment of a hefty ransom totaling N2.4 million.
The news of the women’s release was brought to light by Zagazola Makama, a renowned Counter-Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region. Through a tweet shared on Thursday, Makama disclosed that these innocent women had been kidnapped while working on their farmlands on Tuesday, August 22, 2023.
The grim ordeal saw the abducted women being forcibly taken to an undisclosed location by the Boko Haram insurgents. A demand for ransom was subsequently made by the terrorist group, adding to the anguish of the victims’ families and the wider community.
Makama’s tweet revealed a positive turn of events as the women were ultimately freed on Wednesday, August 23. The release came after a collective ransom payment of N50,000 was made for each of the victims, resulting in a total sum of N2.4 million.
It’s worth noting that prior to this larger group release, eight of the kidnapped women had been released earlier after a ransom of N20,000 was paid for each individual.
The incident once again underscores the challenges posed by insurgent groups such as Boko Haram in the region, as well as the harrowing experiences faced by those caught in the crossfire. The efforts of security experts like Zagazola Makama serve as a reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance and strategic response to counter such threats.
