Rescued Kwara Nurse Recounts Six Months in Captivity, Says She Assisted 10 Pregnant Women in Childbirth.

Rescued Kwara Nurse Recounts Six Months in Captivity, Says She Assisted 10 Pregnant Women in Childbirth.

A nurse from Kwara State, Amirah Salihu, has reportedly recounted a harrowing six month ordeal in captivity, saying she was forced to provide medical assistance to pregnant women under extremely difficult conditions.

Salihu, who was recently rescued from captivity, reportedly said she assisted 10 pregnant women to deliver their babies during the period, in circumstances where basic medical equipment and conventional healthcare facilities were unavailable.

According to the account, the nurse had to improvise while attending to the women, including assisting with childbirth without access to standard protective equipment and other essential medical supplies.

Her reported experience highlights the severe humanitarian consequences of prolonged captivity and insecurity in parts of Nigeria, where abducted civilians can be deprived of access to basic healthcare, food, sanitation and other necessities.

The circumstances surrounding Salihu’s abduction, the identity of the group that held her and the details of her rescue were not independently established in the sources reviewed for this report. Sele Media Africa therefore presents the account as a reported testimony rather than independently verified fact.

The reported ordeal also underscores the broader risks faced by pregnant women and nursing mothers in conflict affected and insecure communities. Access to skilled birth attendants, emergency obstetric care, medicines and safe healthcare facilities remains critical to preventing avoidable maternal and newborn deaths.

Kwara and neighbouring states have faced periodic attacks and abductions, with previous reports documenting the targeting of vulnerable residents, including pregnant women and nursing mothers. The International Centre for Investigative Reporting, for instance, reported in November 2025 that armed attackers abducted residents, including a pregnant woman and nursing mothers, in Isapa community in Kwara State.

Salihu’s reported account therefore adds another human dimension to the security crisis, particularly the risks faced by healthcare workers who may themselves become victims while attempting to provide essential services.

There is a need for continued efforts by security agencies, state authorities and humanitarian organisations to protect civilians, secure healthcare workers and ensure that pregnant women in vulnerable communities can access safe and professionally supervised maternity care.