At least 13 captives died during nearly six months in the custody of terrorists following the Feb. 3 attack on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, survivors have disclosed. The victims, who were among 176 women and children abducted during the assault, regained their freedom Wednesday and were formally received by the Kwara State Government in Ilorin on Friday.

The survivors said they endured severe conditions while being held in the forest, including eating only once a day and sleeping in the open. One of them, Nafisat Abdulfatai, said 12 children remained with the terrorists because their captors threatened that anyone attempting to escape would be turned into a slave.

The terrorists, believed to be Boko Haram, reportedly stormed Woro and neighbouring Nuku with hundreds of gunmen on motorcycles after residents rejected their extremist ideology. The attackers reportedly killed scores of residents and destroyed homes, shops and the traditional ruler’s palace before taking the women and children into the forest.

The latest account has raised fresh concerns over the fate of the children still in captivity and the security situation in Kwara. The survivors’ release followed months of captivity, while authorities continue efforts to address the consequences of the attack and the continued presence of terrorists in affected areas.