Finally Nigerian Army Hand Over 275 Registered Rescued Women And Children From Sambisa To NEMA By Tom Garba, Yola
The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, had received and registered 275 out of 293 women and children earlier reported they had been rescued by Nigerian Troops from Sambisa forest in Malkwai internally displaced persons camp (IDPs), Yola the Adamawa State capital amidst tight security.
While making a formal handing over of the rescued persons, acting brigade commander 23rd Armoured brigade Col ABA Popoola who appreciates the gallant efforts of the Nigerian army said “on behalf of the Army, we hand over to NEMA the rescued victims of Boko Haram from Sambisa forest for proper welfare.”
He added that the Nigerian army has no enough facilities to take care of 275 rescued IDP’s trusting NEMA to properly and adequately takes care of the rescued people.
On his response While receiving the rescued victims, Director Search and Rescue Operations of NEMA,Air Commodore Charles Otegbade (Rtd) said his agency will left no stone unturned in assisting the victims as he said already provisions have been made for their feeding, Medicare and accommodation for total rehabilitation.
According to him the rescued persons have sustained various degrees of ailments including fractures, and dislocations adding that 22 of them were rushed to hospitals majority making sure they have an immediate treatment that will relief their pains.
He also said all the survivors have been duely registered upon arrival noting that most of the victims are children although their statistics has not been taken in order to separate between the women and the children.
He commended the Nigerian Troops for rescuing a large number of abducted persons.
Our correspondent interview one of the victims who simply identified herself as Lami Musa seen with a newly born baby girl, looking tied and haggard, with serious swollen legs that a support has to be given to her before she can work.
While responding amidst tense tears, she said;
“They have adducted the whole of my family and killed my husband at kilkasa forest while i was four months pregnant, they took us to Sambisa forest,sleep in an open field at times we go without water and food.
“Three days ago i gave birth to this baby girl as I am talking to you I cannot ascertain the status of her health as me and her we’ve not taken our birth since I gave birth”.
Information gathered from the rescued women revealed that they endured three days of tedious and tortuous journey after they were rescued before finally arriving Yola.
Reports similarly indicated that the journey was delayed due to mopping up operations been conducted by the military advance rescue team, so as to evade any land mine that might have been planted by the insurgents.
Their battered and haggard looks will even scare you as many of them are disgusted to be looked upon as a result of the numbers of days they went on hunger strike, their children kept wailing as a result of illness and malnutrition.
Many of the women and children have to be assisted as they could not walk on their own as some of them could not alight from the vehicles that brought them from Sambisa following exhaustion and hunger
Our correspondent who saw their arrival at Malkohi IDPs camp reports that they arrived in about 10 Toyota land cruiser open trucks at about 7:15pm Saturday.
