I was directly affected by Boko Haram’s abduction when they took my husband, demanding a ransom of ₦500,000 that we couldn’t afford. They gave us a one-week ultimatum to pay, threatening to harm him if we didn’t comply. We tried everything to raise the funds – visiting friends and family, begging on the streets – but we could only gather ₦150,000. The kidnappers refused this amount, insisting on the full ransom.
After the deadline passed, we lost contact with my husband. Some of his fellow captives returned home a week later, but he didn’t. It’s been a year since his abduction, and we have no idea if he’s alive or dead. The returned captives told us he was left alive when they escaped, which gives us hope for his return.
My husband was a farmer, and his abduction has left us in a desperate situation. I’m now caring for our six children alone. Life is incredibly tough; we often go without food, and the children were forced to drop out of school due to unpaid fees. We were displaced from our community, lost our livelihood, and have no assets left to sell for his ransom. The trauma and uncertainty continue to affect us deeply.
We reported our situation to our community leader, who promised to forward our plea to the government. However, we’ve heard nothing since then. We’ve been left to fend for ourselves, struggling to survive without any support. The children are suffering the most, missing out on their education and a stable home.
Despite everything, we hold onto the hope that my husband will return home one day. We’re doing our best to stay strong, but it’s getting harder each day. We need help, not just for my husband’s safe return but also for the well-being of our children. We need support to get back on our feet, to rebuild our lives and provide for our family’s future.
The impact of Boko Haram’s activities has been devastating for our community. Many families have been affected, and we’re all struggling to cope. We need the government’s attention and assistance to address this crisis. We need protection, support, and resources to rebuild our lives and ensure our children’s future.
We’re not giving up hope. We’ll continue to pray for my husband’s safe return and work towards a better future for our family. We hope that one day, we’ll be reunited, and our lives will return to normal. Until then, we’ll keep holding onto hope and striving for a better tomorrow.
As narrated by: Ya Indi (Maiduguri, Nigeria).
This snippet is published as part of a series, The Day Boko Haram Attacked.
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