Some of the women abducted from communities in Rafi and Shiroro local government areas of Niger State in February 2024 have returned from terrorist captivity with advanced pregnancies and babies.
The pregnancies and infants are believed to belong to the terrorists under whose custody the women were held for over a year, before being rescued by the police a week ago.
Four of the women were identified as part of the 25 persons kidnapped from Allawa on the Pandogari-Allawa road while returning from the market in February 2024.
Terrorists in contracted commercial buses were transporting the group of about 24 women from Palu-Waya in Shiroro LGA to a new location.
While some sources, including the police, said the women were being moved to Kebbi State, others said that they were being taken to Kaiji Forest in Borgu LGA, where the terrorists had directed the driver.
Upon reaching Kagara in Rafi LGA, one of the women reportedly asked the driver to allow her to urinate. During this stop, she raised an alarm that led to their rescue and the arrest of the driver, who is now in police custody.
A police source confirmed to Daily Trust that the women are currently being held at the police headquarters in Minna. He also revealed that a cache of ammunition was found in one of the women’s bags.
Also, he confirmed that one of the rescued victims is among the missing Chibok girls.
“One of the Chibok girls was found among them, and a magazine with ammunition was recovered from one of the bags,” he said.
Sources in the Allawa community told our correspondent that the women were intercepted in two buses last Sunday while being relocated by terrorists suspected to be Boko Haram fighters from the Allawa forest.
One source said: “To us, this is a welcome development, as it has led to the recovery of the remaining four out of the 25 women kidnapped on February 14, 2024, while travelling from Pandogari to Allawa.
“However, while we celebrate, it is painful to note that some of these rescued women are either pregnant or carrying babies, a result of the forced marriages imposed by their captors.”
Rescued women must be deradicalised – Residents
However, one relative said many of the rescued women would require urgent mental health assessments and deradicalisation.
“Some of the women have insisted they would prefer to stay with the terrorists for the rest of their lives,” the relative said.
Another resident added: “It is confirmed. We sent people to verify, and it was confirmed that some of the rescued women were from Allawa. But these women need thorough deradicalisation.
“One of them even said that, given the choice, she wouldn’t return home because she had fallen in love with the terrorists. She said she had memorised their phone numbers, even if the police had seized their phones. That woman is from Allawa, and her husband is still waiting for her.
“Can you believe that even in police custody, some of these women are insisting they want to continue their journey to rejoin the terrorists? One woman with a newborn even said she could still contact them directly. It’s truly troubling.”
Another Allawa resident, who spoke anonymously, said the rescued women were intercepted while being moved from Palu-Waya forest to another location in Kaiji Forest in New Bussa.
“Four women from Allawa were among them. Their relatives have been visiting them. Some of the women were pregnant, while others had babies. All of them were married before their abduction in February 2024,” he said.
Terrorists behind abductions identified as Sadiku’s gang
Daily Trust gathered that the terrorists responsible for the abductions were members of the Sadiku gang, which has operated in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State for the past five years, using the Allawa forest as a hideout.
In February 2024, Daily Trust reported that six farmers were killed and no fewer than 20 women abducted at Maganda Junction along the Allawa-Pandogari Road in Shiroro LGA.
The attack, which occurred around 6pm, claimed the lives of four men and two women. The victims were returning to Allawa from the Pandogari market in Rafi LGA when the bandits opened fire on their vehicles.
It was also reported that the bandits planted landmines along the road. Upon spotting a convoy heading from Pandogari to Allawa, they ambushed the vehicles, killing six people. Three others sustained injuries, and two trucks loaded with foodstuffs were set ablaze by the attackers.
Following the attack, the terrorists released a video demanding ransom. In the 30-second footage seen by our correspondent in August 2024, one of the abducted women, tied to a tree with her hands bound behind her, pleaded with her family to meet the terrorists’ demands to secure her release.
Speaking in Hausa, she called on a relative named Abdulrahman to help deliver the items required for her freedom.
“They said they will not release me until the items they demanded are delivered. They told me to speak so you can hear my voice. I have injuries on my legs. For the sake of Allah and His Prophet, help bring the items. They said if you bring them, they will release me and Hajiya. I am here with Hajiya,” she pleaded in the video.
After initially collecting six motorcycles, the terrorists went on to demand five motorcycles for each of the 26 women before agreeing to release them.
Police hunt for other suspects
The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed in a statement that police had rescued 35 women and children, including the 24 who were being relocated to Kebbi State by the terrorists.
While the police stated that the victims were taken to a medical facility for checkups and subsequently reunited with their families, relatives told Daily Trust the women were still being held in police custody.
Abiodun said, “Following reports of suspected bandits relocating from the Birnin-Gwari forest due to security operations in the area, between July 3rd and 5th, 2025, about 24 kidnapped victims-including women and children-who had been held captive for over a year in various parts of the state, such as Pandogari, Madaka, Allawa, Sarkin-Pawa, Taraba, and other locations, were being moved to Yauri in Kebbi State.
“However, police tactical teams stationed along the Madaka-Makujeri road intercepted most of the victims in a vehicle driven by one Yusuf Abdullahi from Birnin-Gwari. He was transporting them to Yauri to hand them over to other gang members. Others had been dropped off at Tegina to board different vehicles heading to the same destination.
“The driver was arrested, and the victims were rescued. They were taken to a medical facility for attention before efforts began to reunite them with their families. An investigation is ongoing to locate other victims and apprehend the remaining suspects.
“Similarly, on July 4th, 2025, at about 4.30pm, another group-comprising five women and six children-was intercepted in Agwara while attempting to cross the river into Yauri, Kebbi State. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Agwara took custody of the victims.
“Two magazines and 60 rounds of live ammunition were recovered. The victims were transferred to the State Police Headquarters in Minna for further investigation.” (Daily trust)
