NIGERIA: Two Boys Escape Boko Haram After Four Years in Captivity, Reunite With Families

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria 

The Borno State Police Command has confirmed the safe return and reunion of two 13-year-old boys, Ayuba Ishaku and Yakubu Haruna, who escaped from Boko Haram captivity after four harrowing years.

According to a statement released on Tuesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, the minors were abducted alongside other women and children during an attack on Mandaragrau village in Biu Local Government Area on December 29, 2019.

The police spokesperson stated that the boys made their escape on the night of July 8, 2025, when most of the terrorists had left their camp, located in Mangari, Tumbun Mota, Baga area of Kukawa LGA, for an operation.

The statement read, “After months of planning, the two boys took advantage of an opportunity to flee when most of the insurgents were away. They travelled through the bush, navigating various communities, until they arrived safely in Maiduguri on July 12, 2025.”

Upon arrival, the boys presented themselves at the ITE Divisional Police Headquarters in Maiduguri. They were immediately taken into protective custody, where they received care and security under the directive of the Borno State Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid.

During police debriefing, the boys disclosed that they had been forced to serve as domestic aides and were taught how to service firearms during their time in captivity.

Efforts to trace their families led to the identification of Mr. Ishaku Gaji, father of one of the boys, who confirmed the December 2019 abduction.