‘Kidnappers put sand in the rice they fed us’ — Jangebe schoolgirl recounts ordeal

Hafsatu Anka, one of the schoolgirls kidnapped by bandits from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talatu-Mafara local government area of Zamfara state, says they were fed rice that had sand. 

About 279 of the schoolgirls were kidnapped after gunmen invaded the school last Friday.

Bello Matawalle, the governor, announced their release early Tuesday morning.

Anka, an SS II student who spoke amid tears, said they were laid in trenches littered with human faeces.

“We saw other people including women and children and father of one of our school mates who had been in the den for three months,” she told NAN in an interview.

“They walked us on foot where some of us got dislocated on their foot, they would pray as Muslims but never allowed us to pray and they fed us with rice in which they put sand after cooking.

Speaking after the hostages were released, Matawalle said repentant bandits in the state assisted security agencies in the operation that led to the release of the abducted schoolgirls.

The governor said 279 girls were returned safely without the paying of ransom.

“This is the result of our peace effort and putting to shame all those saying there is no security in this country,” Matawalle said.

“We have been in discussion since Friday with the abductors and reached agreement on Monday by 4pm that the girls were released.

“We are happy that all 279 have safely returned, they will undergo medical checks and given balanced diets to recuperate by the state government before they are handed back to their respective families.

“I want to appeal to parents not to remove their children from school as a result of this, we will ensure additional security in all the schools.

“We thank all media outlets for their support throughout these trying times.”