The family of 15-year-old Aisha Muhammad Ajah has expressed grave worries as the teenager marks nearly three months in the captivity of Boko Haram terrorists. Aisha was forcefully abducted from her home in Kirawa, a border community in Borno State, on August 9.
Aisha’s mother, Hajia Maimuna Ajah, confirmed in an interview that her daughter was whisked away right in her presence during a raid on the community. She revealed that two of her daughters were initially taken, but one has since returned, leaving Aisha still in custody. “Till this moment, I have not heard any news about her whereabout. I am living in distress,” the mother lamented tearfully.
The Attack and Its Aftermath
The abduction occurred on a Saturday around 9:30 pm when the terrorists raided Kirawa in Gwoza Local Government Area. The Chairman of the Kirawa Development Association, Yakubu Mabba Ali Kirawa, reported at the time that the terrorists exchanged fire with the Multi Joint Task Force before abducting Aisha and burning down houses, shops, and vehicles. The attack also displaced thousands of residents into neighboring Cameroon villages.
Emotional and Economic Toll
Hajia Maimuna Ajah detailed the severe emotional and economic distress the abduction has caused the family. She noted that Aisha was crucial to their household’s livelihood: “When Aisha was with us, she was the one who helps us to sell alele (moi moi), which was our major source of livelihood.” Since her abduction, the family has struggled significantly, making a desperate appeal for government intervention: “We need the government to please come to our aid. I want to see my daughter again. Living without her has been emotionally draining for me.”
Call for Expedited Rescue Efforts
Aisha’s stepfather, Abba Ado, who also witnessed the abduction, called on military authorities to expedite action on her rescue, citing recent successful operations as an example. “I heard that 12 girls kidnapped from Askira-Uba were rescued just a week after they were abducted. I was happy and at the same time broken because my own daughter is still missing after over a month,” he stated.
He pleaded with the government not to forget his daughter, expressing a desperate need for any information: “If not for anything, I want to know if she is still alive or not. I just need to hear something about her.” The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum had previously appealed to the military in August to make immediate efforts for Aisha’s release.
