It has been nearly a year since 26-year-old Rabiat left the Boko Haram enclave she was held in for close to a decade. In her home in Maiduguri, the northeast Nigerian city at the heart of 15 years of fighting by the armed group, she reflected on life as a free woman. Rabiat, a former Chibok girl, was one of 276 girls abducted by Boko Haram fighters in 2014. Fifty-seven escaped, with others rescued or freed in subsequent years. Upon her return, she underwent a deradicalisation programme and now lives in a compound with other Chibok girls, while facing challenges of restarting her life and dealing with societal stigma.
The Chibok kidnapping sparked global outrage and led to the #BringBackOurGirls movement. Boko Haram opposed Western-style education, and the school abductions laid the groundwork for an ongoing epidemic. In-fighting within Boko Haram weakened the group, with thousands of fighters surrendering to the Nigerian army. Despite some progress, many Chibok girls are still missing or believed to have died in captivity, leaving their parents grief-stricken.
Former hostages, like Rabiat, who were forced to marry fighters struggle to reintegrate into society, as they have been influenced by Boko Haram’s false narratives during their captivity. Efforts are being made by organizations like Search For Common Ground to provide psychosocial support to these women and children. The Nigerian government has a reconciliation and reintegration program to bring lasting peace, but challenges remain in helping these women rebuild their lives.
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