Borno donates N8m, food items to 360 freed captives

The Borno State Government has donated N8m, along with food items for onward distribution to the 360 captives recently released by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

The Chairman of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, Abba Timta, confirmed the receipt of the donation on Monday.

The PUNCH had reported that about 360 victims were among the 416 residents, mostly women and children, abducted during a terrorist attack on Ngoshe, Gwoza LGA, on March 4, 2026.

The chairman, while addressing the victims shortly after a visit by the Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, at Pulka, said each of the victims will get the sum of N21,000.

In a three-minute, 22-second video obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, the chairman urged the victims to share what they needed, as the provision may not be sufficient for all of them.

He said, “They gave us some food items to give you all. We will share it among the 372 people here.

The governor gave N8m, and each person will collect N21,000.

“There is food which the government brought. It will be distributed to you.

“However, it may not be enough for you all to get one bag of rice and corn each. What we will do is that anybody who needs corn should line up for it. Anyone who needs rice should also line up for it. Or, if we give one person corn or rice, you can do trade by barter by sharing among yourselves,” he said.

Timta assured the survivors that they would receive more items if provided.

“Every woman here will collect mat each. Pray for other people to bring items for you while also praying for peace to return to the farm, so that you won’t depend on the government.

“The vice chairman will make arrangements for the distribution of the rice, mat, money, sugar and corn,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources within the camp told The PUNCH that victims who were abducted from Askira-Uba Local Government Area and freed alongside the Ngoshe victims had returned to their community.

“Yesterday, after the distribution of the items, victims abducted from Askira Uba and released alongside the Ngoshe people returned to their community. They were all happy to receive the support,” the source said.

On Monday, Zulum visited the victims, announcing that funds had been released for the rehabilitation of the Ngoshe community.

During the visit, he said, “We are here to felicitate with the Ngoshe community following the release of the abducted women and children numbering about 434.

“What we saw this morning is about the 360 released two days ago. But some two to three weeks ago, we also received about other persons, totalling about 434.

“Furthermore, we are here to support them with relief materials, including food and non-food items.

“Each and every household will receive these items. The government has released millions of naira to rehabilitate the Ngoshe community.

“So far, the work is nearly complete. We are also interfacing with the community about their return to Ngoshe; those who are willing to return, we are working with the Nigerian military to establish institutional arrangements that will ensure their safe and dignified return.”

Meanwhile, the Ngoshe Stakeholders Forum has debunked the claims that the 360 captives who recently regained their freedom are Muslims, with Christian abductees still in captivity.

The group on Tuesday clarified that the released captives comprised both Muslims and Christian residents abducted from the community.

The chairman of the group, Suleiman Bello, disclosed this in Maiduguri during a press conference organised to commend the Federal Government, Borno State Government, and other stakeholders who played critical roles in the release of the residents.

According to Bello, while efforts were ongoing to determine the identities of other residents in captivity, those recently released were not of one religion.

“We have to be very cautious about this narrative. Those who were released, among them are Christians and Muslims. There is no distinction.

“Those whom we saw yesterday after the release are both Muslims and Christians,” he stated.

He added that contact tracing had commenced on the identities of those still in captivity, as he assured that members of the public would be briefed appropriately.

While appreciating the role of the government in the rescue effort, they appealed for the acceleration of ongoing rebuilding and reconstruction efforts in the Ngoshe community.