BY: FAIZA JIBRIN, JULY 17, 2025| 07:44PM

Two 13-year-old boys, Ayuba Ishaku and Yakubu Haruna, have been reunited with their families in Maiduguri, Borno State, after spending four long and painful years in Boko Haram captivity.

The boys were kidnapped in December 2019 from Mandaragrau village in Biu Local Government Area during a brutal Boko Haram attack.

According to the Borno State Police Command, the boys were forced to work as domestic helpers and trained to handle weapons during their captivity.

After careful planning, they bravely escaped on July 8, 2025, when their captors left for an operation.

The boys then made their way through the bush, moving from village to village, hungry and afraid, until they reached Maiduguri on July 12, 2025.

At the ITE Divisional Police Headquarters, the tired boys shared their harrowing story with police officers, who took them in, providing food, shelter, and protection.

Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajid, quickly set out to find their families.

Ayuba was joyfully reunited with his father, Ishaku Gaji, in an emotional reunion that highlighted the resilience of children who survive unimaginable hardships.

The boys are now receiving support and counseling at the Borno State Ministry of Women Affairs to help them heal and recover from their traumatic experience.

CP Abdulmajid praised their bravery and encouraged the community to remain alert and supportive in the fight against insurgency, urging everyone to report any suspicious activity that might help stop insurgency and rescue others still in captivity.

This emotional reunion stands as a testament to the importance of community support in the face of ongoing violence and the bravery of these two young boys who refused to give up hope.