A woman who was among those kidnapped from Ariko village during their Easter church service has given birth to a child in the bandits' camp. Remember, women, little children, and some men have now been in captivity for 58 days. However, this woman gave birth a week ago. A woman who emerged from the camp after trekking for 3 days in the bush said the birth was difficult because the pregnant woman, like others in the camp, was malnourished. According to her, the pregnant woman was ill when labour began, but with the help of other women experienced in traditional birth, they managed to help her give birth. She said the women pooled bits and pieces of their clothes that hadn't been washed since they arrived and wrapped the child. When the bandits refused to give them anything sharp to cut the umbilical cord, after about an hour, a woman, out of desperation, used her teeth to cut it. Later, they pleaded for water to clean the child and the mother, but the bandits refused, saying they wouldn't waste water on a child who wouldn't survive. They wanted to go to a nearby stream to wash the child, but the bandit said no. They also pleaded with the bandits to release the women so she could go home with the baby, but the bandits refused. The next problem was that the mother's breasts had no milk, as nothing came out because she was so malnourished. A while later, the child began to suck the little that started to come. Hours later, they were still pleading for water to wash the child and the mother when it began to rain. The woman said they resorted to wetting a cloth in the rain and using it to wipe the child. She said the child was still alive five days later when she came out, though part of the umbilical cord attached to the navel had not yet fallen off. She described acute hunger and pus-filled rashes covering most of their skin, especially the children's. She described little children and the women with heads full of lice. She spoke of how young children in the camp are persuaded to drink large amounts of river water just to fill their bellies and reduce hunger. She spoke of how the bandits will lead women into the bush to forage for leaves, which they boil and eat. She spoke of a time when they went 5 days without anything to eat except boiled leaves and water. She spoke of how the men are always chained with bicycle chains. She said that sometimes the bandits lead some men into the bush to pluck mangoes, which are then shared out as meals. She spoke of taking a bath only every 7 or 10 days. She said the bandits would escort women and men, in batches, to bathe in the river and then watch them, especially the women, while they bathe naked. She said other sensitive things that can’t be mentioned, but please include them in your prayers. Reuben Buhari See less
