COCIN Church, Bukuru Erupts In Joy As Released Boko Haram Captive, Jennifer Ukambong Breezes In For Thanksgiving
The Oasis Reporters
January 19, 2020
There was a deafening eruption of extravagant joy, when 26 year old Bokkos indigene, Jennifer Ukambong Samuel, the Plateau aid worker abducted by Boko Haram Islamist insurgents breezed into the COCIN church branch in Bukuru, near Jos for a Thanksgiving service. The choristers were said to have promptly burst into “God that answereth by fIre, he will be my God”, and other songs of praise to appreciate God for the safe return of the abductees.
Here’s why : The Church had fasted and prayed most times for the safe return of Jennifer Samuel , who is a member of the congregation.
Jennifer was abducted with four others along Monguno-Maiduguri road on December 22, 2019 by Boko Haram, the day she was marking the 21st anniversary of her dear father’s demise.
At about 5pm on January 15, 2020, the joyful news came that she and her fellow hostages had regained freedom.
In Jennifer Samuel’s testimony, she said, five days before their release, the insurgents according to her, told them “it seems Allah doesn’t want you here” (in their camp). To the COCIN congregation, it was a clear sign that God answers prayers said from the altar of the Church in Bukuru.
Jennifer Ukambong Samuel had earlier spoken to reporters, saying that Leah Sharibu, the Dapchi schoolgirl kidnapped on February 19, 2018 and refused to renounce her Christian faith in exchange for freedom, Grace Taku (an aid worker who was kidnapped by Boko Haram on July 18, 2019 and had in the same month claimed in a video released by the insurgents that Leah Sharibu and Alice had been killed over Nigeria’s Federal Government’s inability to possibly play ball) and Mrs Alice Loksha Ngaddah, a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) medical worker who was abducted in 2018 by Boko Haram in Rann community in Borno state, were all fine in the forest where Boko Haram hibernates.
She was abducted along with other victims after the insurgents attacked the town on March 1, 2018, killing at least four soldiers, policemen and three humanitarian workers.
Leah Sharibu was the only Christian among the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls kidnapped from Yobe State by Boko Haram on February 19, 2018.
Miss Ukambong who was freed on January 15, 2020 however reiterated that Alice and the other two are not dead.”Alice in fact told us she is fatter than she was when she was abducted,” Ukambong said on Saturday when she arrived home in Jos, the capital of Plateau State.
In her further testimony, Miss Samuel says that
Alice’s name has been changed to the Arabic name, Halima and that they were together for a while.
“We went to her house (in the forest) twice,” Jennifer Ukambong Samuel said. ”Yes she has a house there…I don’t know the location but they say it is close to Lake Chad”, added the Midwife-Nurse when probed further. Though she did not meet with Leah and Grace, Ukambong said Alice had assured them that both hostages were alive and well at an undisclosed location. ”She told us to pray for her and the other two, that she has left everything to God,” said Ukambong.
“No sexual harassment”
The terrorists, though ruthless were generally “good” to the December 22 hostages, Ukambong disclosed, and that they were not sexually harassed. .
She said, “They told us it was against the Qur’an to forcefully touch a woman not legally married to you.
“They however tried to prepare our minds to expect such should they decide to keep us as slaves.
“According to them, the Qur’an gives them the right to such privileges when they take a hostage as a slave.
“They however preached Islam to them as the only religion through which one can inherit eternity,” said the Alliance for International Medical Action staff.
They were to be turned to slaves should they persistently resist their message of “salvation”, she said.
Dr Peter Afunanya, spokesman of the Department of State Services said in an interview with the Chinese news agency, Xinhua, that the rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with other critical stakeholders in military and intelligence services.
Rescued Along with Jennifer Samuel Ukambong of the Alliance for International Medical Action, ALIMA is Miss Asabe Cletus Musa also of ALIMA; Adamu Auwal Arthur Ibojekwe China of Solidarity International and George Danbaba Michael.
The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu has congratulated the families of the hostages on the release.
The hostages were kidnapped along Monguno-Maiduguri road while traveling home for Christmas.
Expectedly, the House of Representatives member representing Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency where Jennifer Ukambong Samuel hails from, released a message to the press and Moses Gbande in Jos, sent it to us:
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MEMBER REPRESENTING MANGU/BOKKOS FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, ABUJA, HON. ENGR. SOLOMON BULUS MAREN, FNSE, FNICE, FITP.
THE RELEASE OF OUR ABDUCTED CONSTITUENT, JENNIFER UKAMBONG SAMUEL
On behalf of the entire peace loving people of Mangu/Bokkos Federal constituency, I wish to express my deep appreciation to all those who played various roles in facilitating the release of our dear daughter, Miss Jennifer Ukambong Samuel from Boko Haram captivity.
Jennifer was abducted with four others along Monguno-Maiduguri road on December 22, 2019 by Boko Haram, the day she was marking the 21st anniversary of her dear father’s demise.
We immediately started advocating for her rescue and yesterday January 15, 2020, at about 5pm, the joyful news came that she and her fellow hostages had regained freedom.
My joy and that of Jennifer’s family knows no bounds. I wish to salute the rare courage and bravery of our men in uniform for the sacrifice to protect our Nation from the hands of evil men, particularly the Armed Forces and the Department of State Services for facilitating this. I equally wish to appreciate the media, local and international non governmental organizations, the Church and all those who stood with us in the struggle that led to her release.
I wish to salute the rare steadfastness of her family especially her widowed mother, Mrs. Naomi Samuel who showed more courage and faith than any of us, praying ceaselessly for her release.
May I however hastily plead that the same energy be deployed to facilitate the release of others still being held hostage. Top among them is our dear Lilian Gyang, a 100Level student of the University of Maiduguri, from Barkin Ladi LGA, Plateau State, abducted on January 9, 2020.
Another Plateau indigene, Abdulhamid Bashir, Leah Sharibu, Grace Taku among others, the remaining Chibok schoolgirls also remain a huge concern. Government should intensify efforts to bring smiles on the faces of their families too.
Finally, the security and welfare of every citizen is a constitutional duty that must be pursued diligently. A lot has been done but more is still expected. Government should upgrade the capacity of our security outfits to detect and halt crime even before it is executed.
The world has gone digital. We cannot afford to lag behind. We must employ artificial intelligence, upgrade the equipment used by our troops and ensure adequate motivation for them to effectively fight terrorism and other violent crimes. The activities of saboteurs who consistently divert funds meant for their welfare and equipment, and/or leak operational secrets of our troops, thus exposing them to danger in the discharge of their duties must be dutifully checked as the nation marks the 2020 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
I urge us all to continue to pray for our country.
Thank you and God bless our dear nation Nigeria.
Hon. Engr. Solomon Bulus Maren, FNSE, FNICE, FITP,
Member Representing Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency, National Assembly, Abuja.
Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong equally reacted to the release of the Plateau nurse, kidnapped by Boko Haram:
Plateau State Governor Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong commends security agencies particularly the Department of State Services for the rescue of five kidnapped aid workers by the Boko Haram terrorist group including Jennifer Ukambomg Samuel, a nurse from Plateau State.
Governor Lalong in a statement says he is excited at this development and thanks President Muhammadu Buhari for his support in ensuring that all those in captivity are set free while the terror group and other criminals are fished out and dealt with.
Lalong had given assurances to the family of Jennifer that the State Government will work with all necessary agencies to secure her release when he sent a delegation to the family led by commissioner of Budget and Planning Mr. Sylvester Wallangko.
The Governor says efforts to rescue other citizens of Plateau State still under Boko Haram captivity are ongoing and asked the family and people of Plateau State to continue to pray and support the Government and security agencies with useful information that will assist in their quick release.
He also says more security measures are being taken to tackle incidences of criminality and forstall attacks on innocent citizens.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham ANIPR
Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State
16th January 2020.
