Nigerians freed after months in jihadi captivity tell of ordeal

Key Points:

• Nigerian forces rescued 163 kidnapped Nigerians, mostly women and children, held captive by jihadi militants for six months following a deadly February attack in Woro village that killed over 160 people.
• The freed captives, many emaciated and emotionally scarred, were handed over in Ilorin, Kwara state, for medical treatment and are awaiting reunification with their families.
• Survivors described severe hardships including hunger, exposure to harsh weather, forced burials of deceased hostages, and hiding from military helicopters, with some losing family members during captivity.
• The February attack marked a significant expansion of militant activity from northern Nigeria into southern regions, highlighting ongoing security challenges amid overstretched and underpaid security forces.
• President Bola Tinubu called the rescue the largest ever in a single day and pledged intensified operations against armed gangs, alongside recent military pay raises and recruitment to improve security response.