‘They Used Us For Sex’—Boko Haram Female Victims In Niger State Narrate Ordeal

After 16 months of living with Boko Haram terrorists in the forests of Niger State, the women were rescued by Nigerian troops while their abductors were running out of the Niger forest to Zamfara State.

The 23 women were abducted along the Mararraban-Maganda road in Shiroro, Niger State, in February last year. They were taken away to live with the terrorists in the forest, where some of them lived with their wives and children.

The women came back with babies fathered by the terrorists! After their release to their families in the Shiroro area of Niger State, THE WHISTLER went after them to hear their stories.

Hauwa Musa (23): How I Got Pregnant by a Boko Haram Militant

Before her abduction, Mrs Musa was married to Abdulrashid Salihu in Maikunkele town, where they lived. She was forcefully remarried to Mohammed Kabir inside the deadly forest of Allawa, where Mallam Sadiqu, a Boko Haram militant leader, coordinates attacks on vulnerable residents.

“We suffered a lot inside Boko Haram’s enclave during our abduction.

“I stayed in Mohammed Kabir’s house, and he used me as a sex toy despite having four wives in the bush. I was forced to stay in his house. Kabir copulated with me whenever he returned from the battlefield.

“They have sex with us by force; when you deny him sex, you would be severely punished. Even when we were abducted, they kept us inside one deadly enclave before moving us to Allawa Game Reserve.”

Mrs Musa got pregnant. No antenatal care, no medication, and on her due date during labour, she was held on a mat, rain leaking through palm fronds, two other abducted women holding her legs, the air heavy with gunfire in the distance, while she struggles to birth her daughter.

The cries of the newborn echoed through Shiroro’s bushlands, but not in celebration. In makeshift huts guarded by armed men, abducted women bring children into the world without doctors, without midwives, and without hope.

“Women held us in the labour room to deliver babies, but when it is beyond them, the men come in.”

“The child, Zainab, was named by her terrorist father. I didn’t know when she was named, and I was not asked to name her.

“When one of the terrorists develops an interest in you, they will just conduct a Nikkah (wedding) without informing the bride. One of them would come over immediately after the wedding to tell you that a marriage was being held for you. That was all against our will, and the bride price of no less than N50,000 was to be paid.

“At times when we get sick, getting better comes with a price. When they feel like getting us drugs, they give, but when they don’t feel like helping, they leave us.”

Saratu Garba (22): They Stripped Us of Dignity

She was forced into marriage with Ismail Bin Hashim, a Boko Haram commander who led prayers in the enclave.

Now five months pregnant for Hashim, she remains tormented by the haunting memories of her capture and the trauma of sexual slavery she struggles to forget.

“I was picked up inside Madaka market while running for my life. Our freedom and dignity were stripped away from us.

“I was locked inside palm fronds throughout my stay in the bush. We never go out but only leave for the Islamic school and return to domestic work for them.

“The terrorists taught us the Quran, but I never understood all their teachings, as my freedom was limited. I would be forced to listen to their sermon, but my ears were deafened to all their teachings.

“They all have their wives, but we were turned into sex slaves and were forced to work as domestic workers for all four wives of Hashim. People were stationed outside to get us.”

According to the 2023 Nigeria Security Report by Beacon Intel, published on May 3, 2023, 792 abductions were recorded nationwide between January and March 2023. The report stated that Niger State alone accounted for 238 abductions during that quarter.

A regional breakdown shows North Central had the highest share with 325 incidents. Niger State topped individual states with 238 abductions. Kaduna (113), Katsina (86), Borno (47), Zamfara (40), Edo (37), FCT (34), and Imo (32).

“Whenever he copulated with me, my thoughts filled up with worries and trouble. Yet, the sexual molestation resulted in a five-month pregnancy for me.

“Throughout my stay, I never witnessed them servicing their guns to attack a community, but the terrorist group of Mallam Babban (Sadiqu) and Dogo Gide always clashed.”

Salma Usman (23): They had sex with those who were sexually attractive.

Salma Usman, 23, was married before her abduction.

“We fetched them firewood, water, sweeping and cooking for them. Life with the terrorists was terrible; we cried and cried until they told us that we would get tired of crying.

“The work assigned for us inside the forest was too much. But that was why those who returned with babies and pregnancies later married the terrorists. They had sex with the girls who were sexually attractive, but never forced themselves on us. They married you off before copulating with you.

“Even when you are sick, one must do domestic work for them.”

“We were kidnapped while going to Pandogori from Allawa. We spent one year and 6 months in the hands of the terrorists.

 “They also recruited women and men on several occasions to join them, but they converted the recruited ones to Islam.

“We were heading to a village under the Yauri forest in Kebbi before security personnel intercepted our vehicles and rescued us.”

Hajara Mohammed (18): Boko Haram Has Informants

Hajara Mohammed was 18 when she was abducted.

The spinster, now aged 19, was married a few weeks after her abduction to Ahmed Uthman, a Boko Haram leader.

“They had sex with some of us and forced some into marriage with them. But not all were forcefully married.

“The terrorists engage in farming in the enclave. They have informants and bring drugs for them. Mohammed Kabir and Baba Saidu lead as auxiliary medical doctors. The wife of Abba handled the delivery of abducted women, including ailing women,” she said.

Khadijat Basiru (17): Terrorists Promote Gabiru Gombe’s Preachings

Seventeen-year-old Khadijat Basiru was neither forced into marriage with her captors nor returned from captivity as a mother. However, she narrated that during her time in the enclave, she was constantly exposed to extremist indoctrination, including being compelled to listen to sermons of Mallam Kabiru Gombe, an Islamic scholar whose teachings the insurgents promoted.

Basiru, who counts herself among the fortunate survivors, described her time in captivity as “a nightmare” but declined to share further details due to trauma.

“We cooked for them and did other domestic work for them as well.”

“We were heading to Yauri before security operatives arrested us. I was handed a phone and number to call when being led out of the enclave, but police seized the phone.”