A faction of Boko Haram, known as Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad (JAS), has published a video featuring 416 residents of the Ngoshe community in Borno State’s Gwoza Local Government Area who were recently kidnapped.
Released on Friday, the footage shows the insurgents asserting that their captives are in good health and have not faced any form of mistreatment or sexual violence.
The video highlights a large group of women and children, with a smaller number of men kept apart, while being questioned by the militants.
A spokesperson for the group explained during the nearly seven-minute recording that the video was created at the request of the Borno South Youths Alliance (BOYA), a group that has been mediating since the mass abduction.
The spokesperson for the insurgents stated: “We are Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad under the leadership of Imam Abu Umaimatul Muhajjir.”
He further noted: “We are here to clarify issues as requested by the Borno South Youths Alliance. As you can see, the victims are fine. We do not harm or rape them. Our religion teaches us to be humane to captives.”
He mentioned that their leader specifically authorized the recording to allow the victims to speak.
One of the abducted women shared her experience in the clip, saying: “We are from Ngoshe and were kidnapped during the last attack. We thank God that we are alive and healthy, including the women and children. Those who were sick have been treated and given medication. Some of our children who came without clothes have been provided with clothing. We have been given food and a place to sleep.”
Despite these claims of care, she made an urgent plea for help: “We are worried about our families and relatives. Some were killed by air force bombs, while others have suffered different calamities. Many do not know whether we are dead or alive. We call on all Nigerian leaders—from President Bola Tinubu to Vice President Kashim Shettima, Governor Babagana Zulum, Senator Ali Ndume, the Chairman of Gwoza Local Government, and our House of Representatives member—to come to our aid. We want to return home.”
The Borno South Youths Alliance has confirmed the total count of 416 captives.
In a late-night release on Thursday, the group’s president, Samaila Kaigama, explained that this number was verified through extensive negotiations and humanitarian discussions with the militants, noting that the figure is much higher than previous estimates.
The BOYA statement detailed: “The Borno South Youths Alliance wishes to inform the public that we have been actively and discreetly mediating for the release of our Southern Borno brothers and sisters who were abducted when insurgents overran Ngoshe. Following days of engagement and humanitarian appeals, we were provided with an official figure of 416 victims currently alive in captivity.”
See video below:
