Alice Loksha Ngaddah, who was kidnapped in Nigeria by a splinter group of Boko Haram, escaped her captors after more than six years in captivity. In October, she and two other women managed to flee from the militants' camp, traveling for over three days before reaching a military outpost in northeastern Nigeria.
Ms. Loksha, a nurse and mother of two, was abducted in March 2018 while working for UNICEF in Rann, an area plagued by conflict. During an attack on a military base, she and several aid workers were taken hostage. After 11 days of being moved, she and two midwives were brought to a camp run by the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Initially, the women were left alone, but as ransom demands went unmet, their captors threatened them. Two of her fellow captives were later executed for working with humanitarian organizations. Ms. Loksha, a Christian, believed her faith contributed to her survival as she was treated differently than her Muslim companions.
To survive, she pretended to convert to Islam and adopted a Muslim name. While in captivity, she used her nursing skills to gain favor with her captors. She was passed between commanders, which afforded her certain privileges, including a better standard of living.
In October 2023, Ms. Loksha met Fayina Ali Akilawus, another abductee, and they quickly bonded. Together, they devised a plan to escape, selling personal items to fund their flight. They enlisted the help of a local woman who knew the area and could guide them out.
On October 24, the women escaped under the cover of night, traveling through the bush to evade their captors. They eventually reached a military checkpoint, where they were treated kindly by soldiers and taken to Maiduguri.
Despite the challenges ahead, including concerns about Boko Haram's ongoing influence and potential threats to her safety, Ms. Loksha expressed determination to move forward. She was reunited with her sisters in Maiduguri and learned of her mother’s death shortly after her abduction.
Ms. Loksha remains aware of the dangers that still exist but holds on to her faith for strength in the future.