Two years after the abduction of United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) nurse, Mrs. Alice Ngaddah, by Boko Haram, her family member are renewing their plea for her release.
In a series of letters and messages to the Revd Gideon Para-Mallam, some of which the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation is just making public, they are calling on the United Nations, the Nigerian government and the government of United State of America, to weigh in to have Alice set free by her abductors.
In passionate pleas which summarise her plight, the family wrote for the release of the mother of two, who today (March 1, 2020) would have spent her second year in captivity.
Their words as articulated by family head and guardian to Alice, Rufus Birma Nggaddah: “Come (Sunday), 1st March, 2020, our beloved daughter, Mrs. Alice Loksha Nggada will be two years in captivity in the hands of Boko Haram/ Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
“She was abducted on 1st March, 2018 when the terrorists attacked Rann IDP Camp in Kala Balge Local Government Area, Borno State, while working as a Nurse with the UNICEF.
“While trying to help the vulnerable, she became the most vulnerable. Appeals were made to the Federal Government of Nigeria, under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, to help and facilitate the release of our daughter, Mrs. Alice Loksha Nggada.
Our consolation is that our daughter is alive and we look forward to her release in no distant time.
“In fact, we are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to use his God-given position as President to effect the release of our daughter on 1st March, 2020 being the 2nd anniversary of our daughter in captivity.
“Her two children who have not seen or heard from their mother in the past two years are equally calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to use his excellent office to effect the release of their mother. They are looking forward to meeting and embracing their mother come (Sunday), 1st March, 2020.
The Nggadah family will ever be grateful to Mr. President for his fatherly support during this two-year trying period
We sincerely thank President Muhammadu Buhari and look forward to receiving our daughter on the 2nd anniversary of her abduction.
Another letter by her brother-in-law, Mshelia Shettima, reads: “We the family of Alice Loksha Nggadah write to the Nigerian Government, the United States of America, the United Nation and the World at large to please come together as a nation to facilitate the release of our beloved Daughter Alice Loksha Nggada a Nurse working with (UNICEF) who was abducted two years ago, since 1st March, 2018 at Rann, Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State of Nigeria, along side with two other midwives working with Red Cross International Organizations, who were killed by ISWAP Boko haram.
“Indeed we are going through trauma as a result of her still being in the hands of her (abductor), we are pleading to the United Nations to please come to her rescue. We are helpless please and please do something (for) the sake of her little children she left behind: a one year old daughter (who is) now three years old; and a boy of above five years old (who is) now (about) eight years old.
“They cry day and night to see their mother or hear her voice but to no avail. They are still hoping and expecting today, tomorrow, next tomorrow, next week, next year… thinking that their mother will be back some day. It really (confuses) us when the children ask us where their mother is. ‘Is she coming back? Would she come back one day?’ (These are some of the questions we have no answers to).
“Even Alice is not aware that her mother and (one of) her grandmothers too died the same year she was abducted because of the traumatic situation they went through.”
“Alice Loksha Nggada Is a brilliant, hardworking, very dedicated, caring and God-fearing mother. We are pleading with the Nigerian security agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the United Nation to please intervene, please we, the family, need Alice Loksha Nggadah back safely. Thank you and God bless Nigeria.”
Her grandmother, Kaka L. Ngaddah, from who much of the latest information regarding Alice has been kept away, adds her own voice: “You cannot imagine how traumatic this experience has been for us since her abduction. It has caused us irreplaceable loss in the family. With Ist March approaching, the pain and trauma remains fresh in our hearts. At this point, we are only looking up to God to intervene and bring our Alice, Leah and all who have been in this captivity. We love you, we are hopeful that we would meet again”.