Rabiat, a 26-year-old woman from Maiduguri, Nigeria, spent close to a decade in a Boko Haram enclave after being abducted in 2014. She was one of 276 girls taken from their school in Chibok, with about 90 still missing. Over the years, 108 were rescued, and around 20 returned, including Rabiat. After the Boko Haram faction holding her captive began to fall apart, she saw an opportunity to escape and surrendered to the Nigerian army.
Following her surrender, Rabiat went through a deradicalization program and was then placed in a compound with other Chibok girls. However, transitioning back to a normal life has been challenging for her, with negative reactions from some people in the community causing emotional distress. Psychosocial support is crucial to help women like Rabiat adjust to life after their traumatic experiences.
The Chibok kidnapping led to a national and global outcry, drawing attention to the atrocities committed by Boko Haram. The group’s opposition to Western education, especially for girls, has fueled a decade-long epidemic of school abductions in Nigeria. In-fighting within Boko Haram and its faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province, has weakened the group, leading to the surrender of thousands of fighters.
Many parents of missing girls are still grieving, with some holding onto hope for their daughters’ return, while others have lost hope. The trauma and anxieties experienced by families of the missing girls continue to linger. For those whose daughters have returned, there are new challenges, including struggles around identity, religion, and family relationships.
The returnee women who were forced to marry Boko Haram fighters face complex decisions around their marriages and futures. The indoctrination they experienced during captivity has lasting effects, making it difficult for them to reintegrate into society. The disparities between what the women want for themselves and what their families or authorities believe is best for them further complicate their reintegration process.
Support organizations like Search For Common Ground provide essential psychosocial services to women who have escaped Boko Haram captivity. These services help address the mental health challenges faced by returnee women and their families. It is essential to listen to the aspirations and needs of the women as they work towards rebuilding their lives and finding a sense of peace and normalcy after the trauma they endured.
