A woman identified as Aisha has recounted a heartbreaking and traumatic experience after spending more than six months in the custody of armed bandits in Zamfara State, where she was allegedly forced to bury her three children and several other captives who died during their ordeal.
The victim narrated her experience during an interview with DW Hausa, revealing the devastating conditions she endured while being held captive in a forest hideout controlled by bandits. According to her, she and her three children were abducted while travelling along a route in Zamfara State, an area that has remained one of the epicentres of bandit attacks in Northwestern Nigeria.
Aisha explained that the attackers suddenly opened fire on the vehicle conveying them, forcing it to stop before whisking passengers away into the forest. She said the captives were subjected to severe hardship, including hunger, thirst, physical abuse and lack of medical attention.
The grieving mother disclosed that she spent six months and five days in captivity, during which she witnessed the deaths of several victims. She said the bandits compelled her to dig graves and bury those who died, including her own children.
According to Aisha, two of her children were killed by the criminals, after which she was ordered to bury them. The emotional pain deepened when her infant son, who had sustained injuries during captivity, later died from complications.
She further alleged that the bandits initially intended to feed the remains of her deceased baby to their dogs. However, after pleading with them, she was allowed to bury the child herself. Armed only with a spade thrown at her by the captors, Aisha said she carried out the burial under distressing circumstances.
The survivor recalled how her children constantly cried from hunger, thirst and the physical torture inflicted on them by the bandits. She said the painful memories continue to haunt her long after regaining freedom.
Aisha eventually escaped from captivity under the cover of darkness. She explained that she and a few others followed a route through the forest around midnight and spent three days wandering through the wilderness before reaching a settlement where they received help.
Her account highlights the growing humanitarian crisis caused by banditry in Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto states, where thousands of residents have been displaced, kidnapped or killed in recurring attacks.
Now struggling with the physical and emotional scars of her experience, Aisha has appealed to government authorities, humanitarian organisations and well-meaning Nigerians for urgent assistance. She says she requires immediate medical treatment, food support and psychological care to help rebuild her life after the tragic loss of her entire family.
Security experts and community leaders continue to call for stronger measures to tackle banditry across the Northwest, as affected communities demand greater protection and support for victims of violence.
