Kidnap victims escape 'hellfire' captivity with deep scars
Frail and malnourished children and women lay on rows of hospital beds, their bodies bearing the scars of six months of captivity deep in the Nigerian bush.
Frail and malnourished victims of a Nigerian village kidnapping lay on hospital beds as they recover from six months of captivity. The rescue of 163 people from the Kainji Lake National Park occurred after their village, Woro, was attacked by suspected jihadists in February. The government has touted the rescue as a major success, but the victims face a long road to recovery, dealing with severe malnutrition, skin diseases, fractures, and psychological trauma.
Some still require blood transfusions, and a child remains under a respirator. The captives were fed porridge and salt soup, occasionally with beef, and suffered beatings when caught attempting to escape without guards' permission. Pregnant women gave birth during captivity, and the victims have been housed at a hotel in Ilorin, guarded by police, as they await their return to the community.
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