Boko Haram Video Shows 416 Ngoshe Residents Held Captive in Borno

A fresh video released by a faction of Boko Haram has revealed that no fewer than 416 residents of Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State are currently being held by the insurgents.

Global Mirror News gathered that the six-minute, 43-second video surfaced on Friday April 10 and featured mostly women and children, while a few men were seen separated from their families.

The victims were reportedly abducted during a recent attack on Ngoshe by members of Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad (JAS), one of the factions linked to Boko Haram.

In the footage, the insurgents claimed the abducted residents were alive, healthy and had not been subjected to torture or abuse.

A spokesman for the group, who spoke in the video, said the recording was made following appeals by the Borno South Youths Alliance (BOYA), which has reportedly been engaging the insurgents in an effort to secure the release of the victims.

“We are Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad under the leadership of Imam Abu Umaimatul Muhajjir,” the spokesman said.

He added that the group’s leader ordered that the captives be allowed to speak so their families and the public could know they were still alive.

According to him, the insurgents decided to release the footage after receiving repeated requests from the Borno South Youths Alliance.

Global Mirror News further gathered that several of the women shown in the video appealed emotionally to the Federal Government and other political leaders to intervene and facilitate their return home.

One of the women, who identified herself as a resident of Ngoshe, said they were kidnapped during the attack on the community but had remained alive since then.

“We are from Ngoshe and we were kidnapped during the last attack. We thank God that we are still alive, including the women and children,” she said.

She stated that those who fell ill in captivity had been given medication, while children who had no clothes were provided with clothing.

According to her, the victims were also being fed and given places to sleep.

Despite this, she said the captives remained worried about their families and feared that many people back home might already believe they were dead.

The woman also claimed that some members of their community were killed during aerial bombardments, while others had suffered various tragedies since the attack.

She appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, Senator Ali Ndume, the Chairman of Gwoza Local Government and other leaders to urgently intervene.

“We want to return home. Many people do not know whether we are dead or alive,” she pleaded.

Meanwhile, the Borno South Youths Alliance has confirmed that 416 people from Ngoshe are currently in the custody of the insurgents.

In a statement issued late Thursday, the President of the group, Samaila Kaigama, said the figure emerged after several days of discreet mediation and humanitarian engagement with the insurgents.

Kaigama explained that earlier reports had underestimated the number of those abducted.

“The Borno South Youths Alliance wishes to inform the public that we have been actively and discreetly mediating for the release of our Southern Borno brothers and sisters who were abducted when insurgents invaded Ngoshe,” the statement said.

“After days of engagement and humanitarian appeals, we received confirmation that 416 victims are currently alive in captivity.”

The latest development has heightened concern across Southern Borno, with residents and community leaders calling on the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts before the situation worsens.