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Nigerian student tells of kidnap ordeal after escaping Boko Haram captors Nigerian student tells of kidnap ordeal after escaping Boko Haram captors
(35 minutes later)
One of the teenagers who escaped from Islamic extremists who abducted more than 300 female students said the kidnapping was "too terrifying for words" and she was too scared to go back to school. Associated Press Bauchi
Science student Sarah Lawan, 19, told the Associated Press on Sunday that more of the girls and young women could have escaped but that they were frightened by their captors' threats to shoot them. One of the teenagers who escaped from Islamic extremists who abducted more than 300 female students said the kidnapping was too terrifying for words and she was too scared to back to school.
Lawan spoke in a phone interview from Chibok, her home and the site of the mass abduction in north-east Nigeria. The failure to rescue 276 of the students still held captive four weeks on has attracted national and international outrage. Science student Sarah Lawan, 19, told the Associated Press on Sunday that more of the girls and young women could have escaped but they were frightened by their captors' threats to shoot them.
Lawan spoke in a phone interview from Chibok, her home and the site of the mass abduction in north-east Nigeria. The failure to rescue 276 of the students still held captive after four weeks has attracted national and international outrage.
"I am pained that others could not summon the courage to run away with me," she said. "Now I cry each time I come across their parents and see how they weep when they see me.""I am pained that others could not summon the courage to run away with me," she said. "Now I cry each time I come across their parents and see how they weep when they see me."
Police say 53 students escaped and captors were threatening to sell those still held into slavery.Police say 53 students escaped and captors were threatening to sell those still held into slavery.
Lawan said other students who escaped later have told her that the abductors spoke of their plans to marry them.Lawan said other students who escaped later have told her that the abductors spoke of their plans to marry them.
She said the thought of going back to the burnt-out remains of Chibok Government Girls Secondary School terrifies her. She said the thought of going back to the burnt-out remains of Chibok government girls secondary school terrifies her.
"I am really scared to go back there; but I have no option if I am asked to go because I need to finish my final year exams which were stopped half way through," she said."I am really scared to go back there; but I have no option if I am asked to go because I need to finish my final year exams which were stopped half way through," she said.
In churches across Nigeria, congregations prayed for the students, whose plight has brought together ordinary people in a year that had seen growing dissension between Muslims and Christians, disagreements exacerbated by the increasingly deadly attacks of the Boko Haram militants. Africa's most populous country of 170 million has almost equal numbers of Christians and Muslims. In churches across Nigeria, congregations prayed for the students, whose plight has brought together ordinary people in a year that had seen growing dissension between Muslims and Christians, disagreements exacerbated by the increasingly deadly attacks of the Boko Haram militants.
Africa's most populous country of 170 million has almost equal numbers of Christians and Muslims.
A Nigerian security expert warned that the militants might have laid land mines to discourage any pursuit.A Nigerian security expert warned that the militants might have laid land mines to discourage any pursuit.
"Even as they go along abducting children, they are also going after food, grabbing food," Former Nigerian air force commodore Darlington Abdullah told Sky news, suggesting that starvation might force the extremists to abandon the students. "Even as they go along abducting children, they are also going after food, grabbing food," former Nigerian air force commodore Darlington Abdullah told Sky news, suggesting that starvation might force the extremists to abandon the students.