Two Boys Abducted by Boko Haram Escape After Three Years, Return Safely to Maiduguri

Two young boys, Ayuba Ishaku (13) and Yakubu Haruna (12), who were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists three years ago in Borno State, have escaped from captivity and returned safely to Maiduguri.

The boys, both from Mandaragrau village in Biu Local Government Area, arrived at the Ite Divisional Police Headquarters at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 12, where they recounted their harrowing experience and the daring escape that led to their freedom.

According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, who shared the story on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, the boys were abducted alongside their parents. While their parents were later released by the roadside—deemed physically unfit to continue the journey—the boys were taken deeper into a Boko Haram-controlled zone.

They were transported with seven unidentified adults to a terrorist hideout in Mangari, Tumbun Mota, located in Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area. The adult captives were reportedly trained, armed, and deployed in combat missions by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The boys, meanwhile, were used as domestic labor and trained to service firearms, although they were not forced into combat.

After months of secretly plotting their escape, the boys seized an opportunity on July 10 when most of the terrorists were away on an operation and the few remaining guards had fallen asleep. They escaped through the bush and eventually made it to a nearby village, before reaching Maiduguri by 4:45 p.m. on July 12.

The Borno State Police Command confirmed the escape and noted that the boys have been thoroughly debriefed. Authorities are now working to reunite them with their families through the Borno State Model—a government-led rehabilitation and reintegration initiative for victims of insurgency.