‘Heart attack, trauma, stress’ — how five abducted Dapchi schoolgirls died


Five of the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls that were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents died as a result of heart attack and trauma, one of them has revealed.

The insurgents had kidnapped the girls from their school in Dapchi, Yobe state, on February 19.

On Wednesday, 105 of them were released with one still in their custody.

“Five of our colleagues died of heart attack, trauma and stress as a result of the long trip,” Khadija
Grema, one of the freed girls, told Channels TV.

“They didn’t allow us close to them. One of us was held back on the religious ground. She is a Christian and refused to denounce her religion.”

Grema said they were “well treated” while in the custody of the insurgents.

She said after being taken away from their school, they travelled through the bush and “as we continued (the journey), they (Boko Haram members) asked for those who are fasting among us. They then serve us drinks, meat and food after which we say our prayers and continue the journey.

“We crossed several rivers and streams and into one house where we leave on till our departure day.

“But to be honest we were well treated. They didn’t torture us as they treated us well throughout our stay in captivity, neither did they subject us to any molestation (or) any kind of sexual harassment.

“We didn’t know why they brought us back but they told us we are Muslims and we share the same faith and they don’t want us to suffer.”

The federal government has said the girls were released “unconditionally”.

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