Boko Haram Archives - Page 3 of 3

WE THOUGHT WE COULD COEXIST

They even came to the market to buy things without harming anyone, so we believed we could coexist with them.

I hope that one day, those I wronged will see that I am no longer the man I used to be.

We were given ₦20,000 and a bag of rice, with promises of ongoing support that unfortunately didn’t materialise.

Some parents told their children to stay away, as if I carried a curse. At school, I sat alone. At home, I heard the whispers.

The daily struggle to survive and take care of my children now feels much harder. I feel like I’ve been abandoned and forgotten.

What hurt most was being far away from my family, not knowing if they were alive or dead.

People whispered about me. Some mothers warned their children not to come near me. In their eyes, I was no longer just Amina.

I was flogged and punished several times because I was out looking for what my father and I would eat.

I saw many girls being forced into marriages, and some were even sold as slaves.