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How we escaped from Sambisa Forest, by rescued Chibok girls
Marry Dauda and Hauwa Joseph, two rescued Chibok girls, have recounted their ordeal in the hands of Boko Haram when they were kidnapped in 2014 and forced into marriage eight years ago.
The two rescued girls abducted from the GGSS Chibok in Borno in 2014 disclosed that more than 20 missing others are still in Gazuwa camp in Sambisa Forest, eight years after being kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents.
The Gazuwa camp is the acclaimed headquarters of the Jam’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wal-Jihad, Boko Haram faction, formerly known as Gabchari, Mantari and Mallum Masari, located about nine kilometres to Bama Local Government Area of Borno.
They disclosed this while interacting with newsmen on Tuesday in Maiduguri, at a news conference at the Command and Control Centre Maimalari Cantonment.
Marry Dauda, who recounted her experience in the hands of the insurgents, said she could still vividly recall her compulsory marriage eight years ago after she was abducted at the age of 18 years.
Dauda said that she walked through the deadly forest for many days before she found help.
Like the others conscripted by the militants, she had been told that she would be hunted down and killed if she deserted.
She said, “I took excuse from Malam Ahmed that I will be visiting my relative from Chibok in the town of Ngoshe and he gave me one week. That is when I began my journey for freedom.
“I left Sabil Huda, popularly known as the camp of Abubakar Shekau and proceeded towards Njimiya and Parisu, where I met some of the Mujahedeens. They asked where I was going to and I told them I was given permission to visit my sister in Ngoshe.
“I finally arrived at Gava village in Gwoza, after walking for many hours through the deadly forest under hardship condition. I asked some people to direct me to the home of a daughter of Chibok.
“After meeting her, I told her of my plans to return home. She told me she had wanted to come with me but her husband has placed her on strict surveillance for attempting to run. I then left her and proceeded toward Ngoshe town.
“On my way, I met an old man who promised to help me to escape. But he told me that it won’t be possible in the afternoon until the sun had set. At about 8pm, he took me to Ngoshe town and told me to pass the night in the outskirt of the town and proceed the next morning.
“When the day broke, I took myself to some soldiers where I was rescued with my baby,” she said.
On her part, Hauwa Joseph said she was forcefully married to Amir Abbah, Commander of Boko Haram (Munzul), at Gazuwa camp who was later killed during an encounter with the troops of the Nigerian Army.
She said that she voluntarily escaped from the camp of the terrorists during massive incursion of the troops of the Nigerian army into their camp in Gazuwa on June 12.
Joseph said as people were running the same direction where the sect members are hiding women and Children, she took a separate route to escape from the terrorists’ camp.
She said on her way, she met with some of the insurgents who asked her where she was going, but she tricked them and told them that she was following some women to hide in the nearby forest.
“I slept under the tree with my child, then proceeded the next day until I arrived on the road where I approached a military checkpoint. Initially, they thought I was a suicide bomber, but when I explained myself, they took me along with them.
She thanked the military for rescuing her, saying that she hoped other girls still in the camps of the terrorists would be rescued.
Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa, the Theartre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai North East Joint Operation, said that both girls were among the list of the missing Chibok girls.
Musa said that the girls were rescued due to a massive military operation in Sambisa Forest, Mandara Mountain, and the Lake Chad area.
“We are putting more efforts to ensure that the rest of the girls are rescued through the ongiong Operation Lake and Desert Sanity,” he said.
Also, Major General Waidi Shuaibu, The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division of the Army, said the girls were rescued between June 12 and 14, around Bama and Gwoza general area.
Shuaibu said the girls had received necessary medical attention and would be handed over to the appropriate authorities shortly.
Boko Haram kidnapped 276 female students, aged between 16 and 18 from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State in April 2014.
Over 100 of the girls were still missing as at April 14, 2021, seven years after the initial kidnapping.
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Social Media Star Peller Arrested in Lagos for Live-Streamed Car Crash
Social Media Star Peller Arrested in Lagos for Live-Streamed Car Crash
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested popular social media influencer Habeeb Hamzat, known as Peller, following a viral video showing him driving recklessly and crashing his vehicle during a live-stream.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the arrest comes after public outrage over the dangerous road crash, which occurred on Sunday, December 14, 2025. The police described Peller’s actions as life-threatening, endangering both himself and other road users.
“The Lagos State Police Command has arrested and detained Habeeb Hamzat aka ‘PELLER’ for further investigation, following the viral video in which he was seen driving recklessly, resulting in a dangerous accident while live-streaming,” the statement partly read.
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The incident is now under investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), with the outcome to be made public. The suspect is expected to face charges in a court of competent jurisdiction.
Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Olohundare Jimoh, warned social media influencers and members of the public against using online platforms to engage in reckless or unlawful behaviour. “Such lawlessness will not be tolerated, and the full weight of the law will be applied on any offender,” he stated.
The crash has reignited debate over the rising trend of risky stunts by content creators, with many Nigerians calling for stricter enforcement to curb similar incidents.
Authorities continue to emphasize road safety, urging all drivers to comply with traffic regulations and warning that anyone endangering lives on the state’s roads, regardless of social status or online influence, will face prosecution.
This latest incident highlights the urgent need for responsible social media usage, public safety awareness, and stronger law enforcement against dangerous behaviour on Nigerian roads.
Social Media Star Peller Arrested in Lagos for Live-Streamed Car Crash
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Femi Falana Demands Arrest of Soldiers, 400 Terror Financiers Shielded Under Previous Administration
Femi Falana Demands Arrest of Soldiers, 400 Terror Financiers Shielded Under Previous Administration
LAGOS — Prominent human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, has petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of 10 soldiers accused of killing three police officers in Taraba State, as well as 400 alleged terrorism financiers whose cases were reportedly abandoned under the previous administration.
In his petition, Falana accused former AGF Abubakar Malami, SAN, of deliberately shielding the suspects from justice despite “overwhelming evidence.” Copies of the petition were also sent to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
“The withdrawal of terrorism charges against these soldiers and the failure to prosecute hundreds of terror financiers amount to a grave abuse of prosecutorial powers and a betrayal of public trust,” Falana said.
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Falana recalled that in August 2019, 10 soldiers led by an Army Captain ambushed and killed three police officers in Jalingo, Taraba State, after they had arrested notorious kidnapper Bala Hamisu, also known as Wadume. Although the soldiers were initially charged with terrorism offences at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the case was abruptly terminated after Malami entered a nolle prosequi, which Falana described as unconstitutional.
He noted that while the United Arab Emirates convicted six Nigerians for financing Boko Haram—two sentenced to life imprisonment and four jailed for 10 years—Nigerian authorities failed to bring a single financier to justice.
Falana accused Malami of failing to prosecute the 400 suspected terrorism financiers arrested after investigations by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and Department of State Services (DSS), despite assurances that trials would commence after a judicial workers’ strike.
“The case files of these suspected financiers are reportedly still in the Office of the Attorney-General, while many of the suspects have regained their freedom. Nigeria cannot win the war against terrorism while protecting those who finance and execute it. The era of impunity must end,” Falana added.
Femi Falana Demands Arrest of Soldiers, 400 Terror Financiers Shielded Under Previous Administration
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Updated: Nationwide Electricity faces threat as Gas Companies Cut Supplies
Updated: Nationwide Electricity faces threat as Gas Companies Cut Supplies
Nigerians may experience power shortages this Yuletide as gas-to-power debt issues disrupt electricity generation across the country.
Gas companies have begun cutting supplies to thermal power plants over unpaid debts, forcing electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to reduce daily power supply.
On Tuesday, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) informed customers across the South-East that low system frequency, caused by gas supply constraints, had necessitated load shedding by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). EEDC subsidiaries affected include MainPower, TransPower, FirstPower, NewEra, and EastLand.
Similarly, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company confirmed that poor generation and allocation from generation companies (GenCos) were causing load shedding in its franchise areas.
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The Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) confirmed that gas producers had started cutting supply due to outstanding debts owed by the government, despite a recent approval of N185 billion by the Federal Government for payment of arrears to gas suppliers, announced on December 4, 2025, by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) further disclosed that gas pipeline vandalism in the upstream network has worsened the situation, causing reduced output from gas-fired power plants and a decline in national grid generation capacity. Emergency measures, including increased hydroelectric dispatch and voltage control interventions, have been activated to maintain system stability.
With over 80 per cent of grid-connected power plants relying on natural gas, the sector remains highly vulnerable to gas supply disruptions, raising fears of sustained power outages during the festive season unless liquidity issues and infrastructure vulnerabilities are urgently addressed.
The current development signals a critical need for government intervention, stakeholder coordination, and investment in gas infrastructure to prevent widespread electricity shortages across Nigeria.
Nationwide Electricity faces threat as Gas Companies Cut Supplies
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