A kidnap victim, Aisha, has narrated how bandits in Zamfara State compelled her to bury her three children after they died while in captivity.
Aisha, who was abducted alongside her children while travelling through the state, said she was the only member of her family of four to survive the six-month ordeal.
Bandit attacks, kidnappings, and other violent crimes continue to plague communities across Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states, with residents frequently subjected to killings, displacement, and illegal levies imposed by armed groups.
Speaking in an interview with DW Hausa, Aisha recounted how gunmen intercepted the vehicle she and other passengers were travelling in before taking them into the forest.
“They suddenly opened fire, forcing our vehicle to stop. My three children and I, along with other passengers, were abducted and taken into the forest,” she said.
The victim said she spent six months and five days in captivity, battling starvation, sickness, and emotional trauma as she watched her children die one after another.
According to her, the bandits routinely ordered captives to bury those who died in their custody, including members of their own families.
“I was forced to bury every victim who died in captivity, including my own children. They first killed two of my children and then ordered me to bury them,” she said.
Aisha said her infant son later succumbed to injuries allegedly inflicted by the abductors.
“My baby was sleeping beside my daughter when he died. The bandits wanted to feed his remains to their dogs, but I pleaded with them to allow me to bury him. They threw a spade at me, and I buried my son myself.”
She said the painful memories of her children’s suffering remain difficult to overcome.
“My children constantly cried from hunger, thirst, pain, and the beatings they received from the bandits,” Aisha said.
Aisha explained that she eventually escaped from the forest under the cover of darkness after spotting an opportunity to flee.
“It was around midnight when we followed a route out of the forest. We spent three days trying to find our way out of the Zamfara bush before finally reaching a settlement,” she added.
She appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance following her return from captivity.
“I am in urgent need of medical care and food support.”
