A heartbreaking account has emerged from Kaduna State, after a pregnant woman abducted by bandits reportedly gave birth while in captivity, following a deadly attack that claimed her husband’s life.
The victim, identified as Mrs. Love Marcus, was said to have been kidnapped during an armed invasion of Gidan Waya community in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Her ordeal was revealed on Friday, during a trauma counselling and support programme organised for victims of kidnapping and violent attacks across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the victim, Rev. Fr. Yakubu Jerry of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, disclosed that Mrs. Marcus was heavily pregnant when gunmen stormed the community, killed her husband and whisked her away alongside several residents.
“She was heavily pregnant when they took her. Her husband was killed in the attack. She was left in deep pain and confusion,” the cleric said.
According to him, the abductees were forced to trek through forests under brutal conditions despite Mrs. Marcus’ condition.
“She was struggling, and even when she could not walk fast, they kept pushing and beating her. Each time she fell, they beat her again despite her pregnancy,” he added.
The cleric further revealed that the kidnappers demanded huge sums in ransom from relatives of the victims.
He said negotiations lasted several weeks, with families initially paying about ₦40 million before additional demands pushed the total ransom and related expenses to nearly ₦77 million before the captives regained freedom.
Tragically, two of the abducted victims reportedly died in captivity during the ordeal.
In what participants at the event described as one of the most painful revelations, Mrs. Marcus was said to have delivered her baby inside the bandits’ camp before her eventual release.
“She gave birth in the camp by the grace of God,” one of the facilitators disclosed.
Following their release, the victims were reportedly taken for medical treatment and psychological rehabilitation.
However, organisers of the support programme said Mrs. Marcus remains deeply traumatised as she struggles to cope with the death of her husband, while raising a child born during captivity.
“Whenever she looks at the baby, she remembers her husband who is no more. She is going home to an empty place,” a facilitator lamented.
The counselling programme, tagged: “The Rod and the Staff,” was organised by the Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria in partnership with Palace Alliance at ECWA Kaduna South DCC in Kaduna.
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Speaking during the event, Rev. Joseph Hayab, Executive Director of the Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria and Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, said insecurity had devastated many communities and crippled farming activities across parts of northern Nigeria.
He urged religious leaders, security agencies and government authorities to work together to end the worsening wave of banditry and kidnappings.
Kaduna remains one of the states most affected by bandit attacks in Nigeria’s North-West region, with repeated cases of abductions, killings and large ransom payments continuing to terrorize rural communities.
