Chibok Kidnap Survivor Asserts Truth of Ordeal on 12th Anniversary

Rebecca Mallum, who was abducted from her school in Chibok in 2014, has reflected on the 12th anniversary of the traumatic event. She used the occasion, April 14th, to share her thoughts on life before, during, and after the kidnapping.

Mallum directly addressed assertions from some individuals that the Chibok kidnapping was staged for political purposes to undermine the then-Goodluck Jonathan administration. She emphatically stated that the suffering and experiences of the victims were genuine and not a fabrication.

"Today, 14th April, is a date that will forever remain carved in my heart," Mallum wrote on Facebook. "It is the day my life changed in a way I never imagined. A day I went from being a young girl with dreams, laughter, and hope… to someone forced into a dark journey I would never have chosen."

She continued, detailing the personal impact of the ordeal. "There are memories I still struggle to speak about. There are nights I still remember with pain I cannot fully explain. And there are moments that only God helped me survive."

Mallum acknowledged her survival while remembering those who did not escape and those still held captive. "I survived, but many of my sisters did not. Some we lost forever. Some are still out there, waiting… hoping… fighting to come home."

Addressing the wider public, she asserted with conviction, "And to the world, I say this with all the strength in me: Our story is real. Our pain is real. Our kidnapping was not fake. We lived it. We felt it. We are still healing from it."

She carries the memory of her fellow victims. "I carry my sisters in my heart every single day."

Mallum attributed her current presence and ability to speak to divine grace rather than her own strength. "But in all of it, I am here today—standing, breathing, and still holding on to hope. Not by my strength, but by God’s grace."

She spoke on behalf of those whose voices remain unheard and those who never returned home. "I speak not just for myself, but for all my sisters whose voices are still silent, and for those who never made it back home."

Expressing gratitude, she thanked those who have supported the victims. "I thank everyone who has remembered us, prayed for us, and stood with us since that painful night. Your love has given many of us strength to keep going."

Mallum hopes her testimony will contribute to healing and awareness, serving as a reminder of hope even in dark times. "As I share my story, I pray it brings healing, awareness, and a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light can still be found. Thank you for listening… and please, never stop remembering us."

Earlier on the same day, she posted, "Few more hours to 14th April… The day my life was divided into before and after. Before that night, I was just a girl with dreams. After that night, I became a girl fighting to survive. It was the day fear found me. The day my voice was silenced. The day I was taken away from everything I knew and loved."

She recalled the emotional impact of the abduction. "I remember the tears… the confusion… the pain. I remember calling out in my heart, hoping someone would hear me. That night left a mark on my soul that time can never erase. Tomorrow, I will open my heart a little more…"

Rebecca Mallum's Facebook profile is dedicated to commemorating victims of kidnappings and insecurity in Nigeria's northern regions, and she also shares her personal journey as a survivor.