Brave Escape: A Nurse's Fight for Freedom from Boko Haram Kidnappers

After being abducted in 2018, Alice Loksha Ngaddah endured years of captivity before managing a daring escape. Her story highlights the persistent violence of Boko Haram and the impact on humanitarian workers in the region.

Alice Loksha Ngaddah, a courageous nurse, was kidnapped by a splinter group of Boko Haram in Nigeria in 2018 while working in a remote town as part of her job with UNICEF. For over six years, she endured the horror of captivity, all the while maintaining hope for freedom. Finally, in October 2024, her moment arrived. Together with her three-year-old son and another abductee, Fayina Ali Akilawus, Alice seized an opportunity to escape from their captors' camp.

After slipping away at dusk, the trio embarked on a perilous journey spanning over three days, utilizing various modes of transportation, including a donkey and an ox cart, eventually reaching a military outpost in northeastern Nigeria. This escape marked a significant moment in the ongoing struggle against Boko Haram, a group known for its brutal tactics and kidnapping of thousands over the past decade.

Having originally sought employment to support her mother's dementia care, Alice's life took a devastating turn when armed militants attacked the military base in Rann where she was working, resulting in her abduction along with several other aid workers. In her first interview post-escape, she spoke of her faith's importance throughout her ordeal, stating, “We are really saved,” as they neared safety. Alice's story sheds light on the resilience of those caught in the crossfire of violence and the bravery required to reclaim their lives.