Two young Nigerian women kidnapped as teenagers by Boko Haram Islamist terrorists from a school in Chibok eight years ago have been found.
They were recovered with their children by the Nigerian Army in separate operations against terrorists in Borno State.
Military spokesman Christopher Musa confirmed the rescue on 21 October while announcing the opening of a camp for detaining Boko Haram combatants who had surrendered. Shuaibu Waidi, General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Maiduguri, supplied further details of the recovery of the women and their children.
Yana Pogu was found on 29 September with four children, two boys and twin girls in Mairari village, Bama Local Government Area (LGA). Rejoice Sanki was rescued along with two children on 2 October in Kawuri, in Konduga LGA.
Waidi added that the women and their children were undergoing medical examination before being passed over to the care of the Borno government.
Boko Haram abducted 276 girls, mostly Christian, from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in April 2014. Yana and Rejoice were among the Christian girls taken captive that day. Around 167 girls have subsequently escaped, been rescued or released. Girls reported being whipped by their captors to force them into marriage, while a group of Christian girls experienced a mock execution for refusing to convert to Islam.
In earlier operations against Boko Haram in Borno State in June and July 2022 five former Chibok schoolgirls and their children were found.
Give thanks for the rescue of Yana Pogu and Rejoice Sanki and their children. Pray that they will recover from the physical, spiritual and emotional trauma of their ordeal. Ask that they will be reunited with their loved ones and that their needs will be fully met.
