While recounting her experience, Hafsat who now lives in the Malkohi Internal Displaced Persons Camp in Yola, Adamawa State, told CNN;
"When gunmen came to my village 11 months ago, killing everyone in sight, I thought I could escape. But I was wrong."She said the day she was abducted was the last time she saw her two sons, Bawa and Mohammed, eight and six-years-old, respectively.
She was left to care alone for her third son, two-year-old Ismail pictured with her above. She said many other women were separated from their children as well:
"When the shooting stopped, we were all led like animals into the forest. I saw babies die and watched in pain as children were asked to bury them. In Sambisa Forest, I was asked to renounce my religion or be treated as a slave. I refused, and I was flogged daily. I did the chores and was given maize and guinea-corn peels to eat. At that time, it meant a lot because some days I had nothing to eat." she said
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