By Tom Garba, Yola
The National emergency agency,NEMA has received and registered 275 out of 293 women and children earlier reported to have been rescued by Nigerian Troops from Sambisa forest in Malkwai internally displaced persons’ camp (IDPs), Yola the Adamawa State capital amidst tight security. Our correspondent witnessed their arrival at the camp in about 10 Toyota land cruiser open trucks at about 7:15pm Saturday.
Also ,our correspondent interviewed one of the victims who simply identified herself as Lami Musa.She was seen with a newly born baby girl, looking tired and haggard, with serious swollen legs that required a support before she could work.
While responding amidst tense tears,she said: “They 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 turtours 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 landmines that might have been planted by the insurgents.
The battered and haggard looks of those rescued will even scare you as many of them stayed for days without food while in the forest and 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 .
While making a formal handing over of the rescued persons,Acting Brigade Commander 23rd Armoured Brigade, Colonel ABA Popoola who appreciated 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 does not have enough facilities to take care of 275 rescued IDP’s trusting NEMA to properly and adequately provide care for them.
In his response, Director Search and Rescue Operations of NEMA ,Air Commodore Charles Otegbade (Rtd) said his agency will leave no stone unturned in assisting the victims as he said already provisions have been made for their feeding, medicare and accommodation towards 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 .He commended the Nigerian Troops for rescuing a large number of abducted persons.
