Amid Heat, Thorn Bushes and Elephants, a Mother Cradles Her Newborn
By Suleman Ayuba
(Maiduguri) Families of 13 travellers abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in April have shared harrowing new details about their loved ones’ ordeal, speaking anonymously to TruthNigeria due to fears of reprisals from both the insurgents and government authorities.
The 13 captives, including several Christians, have now spent 106 days in the desert environment of the Sambisa Forest, where one Christian woman is reported to have given birth under dire conditions.
The 13 travelers were snatched at gunpoint on April 15, 2026, along the volatile Biu-Damaturu highway in Borno State. Heavily armed insurgents on motorcycles intercepted two commercial Golf Wagon vehicles near the notorious Kamuya area. While drivers and some elderly or ill passengers were released, the terrorists forcibly took 13 others—including women and a sick infant—into the bush. The ISIS-connected terrorists showed preference for Christian hostages, according to relatives speaking to TruthNigeria.
“Most of the 13 taken are Christians,” according to a relative, speaking on condition of anonymity to TruthNigeria. “Only two or three might be Muslims. Husbands and wives were abducted together. They saw the Christian names and credentials and forced them in, even tearing up documents.”
A Christian woman was returning with her seven-month-old baby. Her husband, identifying only as “Musa” in the accounts, recalled her pleas: the infant had just been discharged from the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Despite her cries, Boko Haram took her.
According to SaharaReporters, which first detailed the families’ accusations of government abandonment: “The latest development comes more than three months after the travellers were abducted… with their families repeatedly accusing both the Federal Government and the Borno State Government of abandoning them.”
In an exclusive update to TruthNigeria, another family member revealed a birth in captivity: “One Christian woman has now given birth after 106 days. The conditions are terrible—no proper medical care, little food, constant fear. The baby and mother are both at risk in the Sambisa Forest.
The Sambisa Forest in Borno State is 200 square miles of Chad Basin National Park, about 40 miles southeast of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Hostages have to endure typical daily temperatures of 98° F. The harsh, arid landscape is shared by herds of wild elephants, hyena, leopards and warthogs.
On Thursday, July 30, 2026, kidnappers allowed one male captive to call his brother in Abuja using a provided phone. The hostage verified his identity by naming himself, confirming the abduction date, and sharing personal details. Through him, the terrorists issued a clear demand: the Nigerian government must negotiate directly and pay a ransom for the release of all 13.
A family source told TruthNigeria anonymously: “They are demanding that the government should come and pay a ransom and release them. We have reached out to the government, but there has been no response. We are dying in silence. Our people have been in the bush for over 100 days with no help.”
Another relative, whose brother and sister-in-law remain captive, echoed the despair: “No communication from security agencies or officials. Now they want the government to negotiate, but officials say they don’t talk to terrorists. What about our families?”
The families fear the captives’ health has deteriorated sharply. The newborn and the seven-month-old (now over ten months) face malnutrition and disease in the Sambisa corridor. One source added, “The mother who gave birth is Christian. She begged them initially for her first child. Now she has delivered another in captivity. This is torture.”
Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, criminalizes ransom payments to terrorists, with penalties up to 15 years in prison. The Federal Government has long maintained a no-negotiation policy, arguing that concessions fuel more abductions. However, families insist this stance leaves their loved ones to suffer.
“The government has not said anything about it,” one anonymous contact stressed. “We just want our people back alive—Christians, the new mother, the baby, everyone.”
This incident highlights the war on Christians and moderate Muslims in northeastern Nigeria, where Boko Haram (translation: “Western Learning Forbidden”) and splinter groups fight to overthrow the constitutional government of Nigeria and replace it with a Caliphate. Christians in the region allege that kidnapped Muslim victims are often released, whereas Christian hostages are turned into sex slaves in captivity. The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa recently concluded that the record shows Christian hostages are treated more severely than Muslims.
Truth Nigeria contacted federal law maker representing Biu, the Honourable Aliyu Mukhtara Betara, who didn’t answer a call or reply to a text message. As of this report, no official statement has emerged from the Federal or Borno State governments in response to the latest ransom demand or the reported birth. Families continue to appeal for intervention, urging authorities to prioritize lives over policy.
A local politician speaking out anonymously told TruthNigeria “This tragedy underscores the human cost of prolonged silence and inaction. Our plea remains simple: bring our loved ones home before more lives are lost in the forest.”
Suleman Ayuba is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
