After 98 agonising days in captivity, Hamisu, a resident of Mashaya community in Sabon-Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, has regained his freedom but not without deep physical and emotional scars.
Hamisu, who was abd¥cted alongside his brother and his brother’s wife nearly four months ago, was released on Wednesday morning in Marnona town, Wurno LGA. According to Katsina-based security expert Malam Bakatsine, a driver quietly brought the frail and trembling man into town, ending a harrowing period marked by fear, vi%lence and uncertainty.
His return, though a relief, was bittersweet. His sister-in-law d+ed in captivity, while his brother had managed to escape earlier, leaving Hamisu alone in the hands of his captors. The tra¥ma of the experience was evident, with witnesses saying he appeared exhausted and emotionally broken.
News of his release spread quickly across Mashaya, where residents expressed both joy and sorrow celebrating his survival while mourning the lives lost and demanding answers about the circumstances of the ordeal.
Hamisu’s experience is one of thousands unfolding across Nigeria as the country battles an escalating wave of vi%lence. Amnesty International reports that at least 10,217 people have been k+lled by armed groups since the current administration took office two years ago.
The international community is also raising alarm. U.S. lawmakers recently warned President Bola Tinubu that Washington would hold him accountable if attacks targeting Christians continue, describing the k+llings as “religious cleansing.” On Wednesday, the U.S. government announced visa restrictions for Nigerians linked to vi%lations of religious freedom, particularly those implicated in orchestrating or supporting att@cks against Christian communities.
Meanwhile, thousands of families have been displaced across northern and Middle Belt states, deepening what experts describe as a worsening humanitarian crisis.
