Interesting idea. No one knows the bush areas of Nigeria like the aboriginal hunters. Their tracking and stalking skills could be very helpful. They’d have more chance of getting the locals to tell them about strangers in the area.
I’m not sure about using them for the rescue. But from what I’ve read the Nigerian Army is not exactly highly trained either. So far they haven’t convinced me they could find their own ass with both hands. I can’t imagine any hostage rescue attempt going very well.
I try to ignore the magic and spirits talk. The aborigines still manage to track and stalk game a city guy like me would never find. The rituals they follow doesn’t necessarily effect their tracking ability.
Let them find the young women, scope out the conditions where they’re held, and then decide from there how best to deal with the situation. And the best response may very well be for the hunters to do the rescue themselves (probably not a very good response, but can anyone come up with anything better?).
Look, I love science. I have an analytical approach to things and I fully trust in the scientific method.
But I’m not sure it serves us best to always assume that all “woo woo stuff” is bullshit.
If their ritual preparations help them to focus, and concentrate on their tracking skills, and induce a sense of courage and a positive outlook – then it has a real-world function.
It’s not like these guys are some crazy unconnected tribesman fresh from the depths of the jungle, and the image of these guys are “aboriginal hunters” cracks me up. These guys are pretty much ordinary guys without particularly exotic lives. Guns are rare in the area, and require a supply of expensive bullets. Bows and arrows, on the other hand, are easy to make and practice with, and they are the default back up security locally. Most houses have a guard or two, and if they are armed it will be with a bow and arrow. Additionally, it’s a farming area so pretty much everyone is good with the machete (kids even bring machetes to school to help clear bush around the schoolyard for PE.)
There is hunting in the area, but mostly it’s trapping. Now and then someone will take up the affection of being a “traditional man” and go out to the bush to hunt old-school style. But it’s kind of the local equivalent of modern off-the-gridders. Some people think it’s cool, but it’s also kind of out there.
As for the magic, it’s just a part of everyday life. It can’t really be separated out.