There was a huge plaster on Sarah Peter's head to staunch the bleeding caused by the blow of a gunman's weapon. Sarah, not her real name, was in church in a village in northern Nigeria on Sunday morning when attackers raided the compound to abduct the worshippers and take them away on foot.
The 60-year-old was whacked on the skull with a rifle to encourage her to move. Blood was all over, she said, her fingers brushing the area where the wound was. I suffered, she added, clearly still traumatized by what happened three days earlier.
They kept dragging me even when I told them I couldn't walk. Then I hid somewhere until I couldn't see them anymore. I was so weak I had to crawl back to the village.
Dozens of others were taken away from her branch of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church and two other churches in Kurmin Wali, a village 135km (84 miles) north of the capital, Abuja.
Although 11 people managed to escape, including Sarah, more than 160 people are still unaccounted for, according to the local branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria. The remaining villagers have been left devastated and fear more attacks. Authorities have not released any figures for those missing.
Kurmin Wali is near Kaduna state's Rijana forest, a hideout for armed gangs, known as bandits, who have been conducting raids and abductions in the region. No group has claimed responsibility for the Sunday raid, but it reflects a wider security crisis in Nigeria where kidnapping for ransom has become increasingly common.
Officials initially denied anything had happened, despite eyewitness reports, causing confusion. When the attack was finally confirmed, Governor Uba Sani visited the area, promising increased security and assistance for victims.
As residents anxiously await the return of their loved ones, the trauma of the attack continues to linger, with survivors and villagers calling for better protection and support from the authorities.
