Item: Multi-coloured Ankara Top
Name of the survivor: Binta (pseudonym)
Age at Incident:13
Location: Monguno, Borno
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage
Binta was a teenager when she was separated from her parents in Tumbigini. She was trailed and abducted alongside two other girls while walking home from school one day. What followed were years of hardship, pain, and a forced marriage with a member of the insurgent group. For three years, she endured. One day, during a military raid, she escaped. This is the top Binta wore during her escape from the insurgent camp.
Yellow Right Foot Slippers
Name of the survivor: Fati (pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 14
Location: Monguno, Borno
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage, Rape, Physical abuse
Before the insurgency, Fati had a simple life held together by dreams and hope for the future. That future was abruptly taken from her. One evening, she was abducted and transported on a motorcycle through Marte and later Banki. After a military invasion, she was moved deeper into the bush. In captivity, Fati was beaten, raped repeatedly, and forced into marriage with an insurgent. During an attempted escape with the man she had been forced to live with, they were caught. He was shot dead before her eyes, and in the chaos, she was separated from her children. For years, she endured, living under constant threat and pain. Yet her courage never faded. When a second chance of escape came, she grabbed it.
This is the footwear Fati wore when she escaped the Boko Haram camp.
Multi-coloured Red Gown
Name of the survivor: Izza (pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 25
Location: Monguno, Borno
Abuse Endured: Physical abuse, Rape
Izza Modu, a business owner and farmer, had a good, peaceful life full of simple joys until Boko Haram attacked her community. She was first threatened with death, and her 2 children were taken from her before she herself was abducted.In captivity, she was severely beaten and raped daily. She lived in fear, pain, and loss until she escaped.
This is the cloth Izza wore when she fled the camp and made her way back into her community.
Item: Multi-coloured Blouse and Brown Wrapper
Name of the survivor: Hajja (pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 9
Location: Monguno, Borno
Abuse Endured: Physical abuse and Rape
Hajja was just a child whose life was marked by abundance as a farmer’s daughter. But that life ended abruptly on her family’s farm.
One day, while working alongside family members on the farm, Boko Haram insurgents attacked, and her father was killed before them. Her elder sisters were abducted and forced into marriage. Hajja and her mother were beaten repeatedly and raped daily. Her mother endured eighty strokes of the cane while Hajja received forty. Their escape came during the Nigerian Air Force bombing raid. As chaos struck the location, Hajja and her mother fled through the bush towards safety. She survived. But the conflict left its mark.
Hajja was dressed in this blouse and wrapper when she fled the Boko Haram camp.
Item: Ankara Flowered Patterned Gown
Name of the survivor: Falmata (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 23
Location: Monguno, Borno
Abuse Endured: Rape, Forced marriage
Falmata, a farmer, was living in Gomnari with her parents and husband when her life was disrupted. She went farming with her four children in the Lake Chad area when Boko Haram insurgents abducted them. In captivity, she was subjected to repeated sexual violence by two to three men daily and was forced into marriage. The first time she attempted to escape, she was caught and returned to the camp. When she eventually succeeded in escaping, she was forced to leave three of her children behind, fleeing with only one. Now, she lives in an IDP camp, grappling with grief, trauma, and uncertainty as she tries to rebuild her life.
This is one of the dresses she wore during her years in captivity in the Boko Haram camp.
Item: Blue Hijab (Veil) and Multi-coloured Ankara Blouse
Name of the survivor: Aisha (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 16
Location: Monguno, Borno
Abuse Endured: Rape, Physical abuse, Forced marriage
Aisha grew up in Kangarwa with her parents and dreamed of becoming a doctor. That dream was violently interrupted when Boko Haram attacked her community. During the chaos, she fled with her family, but her younger brother and her father did not survive. Aisha and her mother were captured. In captivity, she was beaten, raped repeatedly, and forced into marriage. She endured, while holding on to the possibility of escape. When the moment came, she fled with her mother but left pregnant.
This is the cloth that Aisha wore while in captivity before she escaped from the Boko Haram camp.
Item: Ash Lace Blouse and Blue Patterned Wrapper
Name of the survivor: Aisha (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 8
Location: Gujba, Yobe
Abuse Endured: Rape, Physical abuse
Aisha was a child when her life was interrupted. Her daily routine included hawking, cooking, and doing household chores, like many young girls in her community. But she nurtured dreams of receiving a formal education. One day, she was sent on an errand and never made it back home. She was captured by Boko Haram insurgents and spent ten years in captivity, where she was raped repeatedly, beaten frequently, and at times made to survive on a single meal every three days.
This is the cloth she wore while in captivity.
Item: Brown Poker-dot Dress
Name of the survivor: Zainab (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 19
Location: Gujba, Yobe
Abuse Endured: Rape, Forced marriage
Zainab made a living selling local food spices in the village market. One day, during the Maghrib prayer, she was abducted and taken to a Boko Haram camp, where she remained for five years.
In the camp, she was fed only unseasoned grains and subjected to repeated and violent sexual abuse. She was eventually forced into marriage with a member of the insurgent group. When she finally escaped, she returned to her community only to be faced with stigma and rejection by the very community she had longed to return to.
This is the dress Zainab wore while in captivity.
Item: Pink Hijab (Veil)
Name of the survivor: Maryam (pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 24
Location: Gujba, Yobe
Abuse Endured: Rape, Forced marriage
Maryam made a living extracting and selling local groundnut oil while also learning how to sew. She lived with her husband in Buni Yadi and had just given birth a week before the attack. During the chaos, she fled toward Kukuwa town. Along the way, she was abducted by insurgents and separated from her husband, who was killed. She spent three years in Boko Haram captivity. In captivity, Maryam was forced into marriage and endured repeated sexual abuse, beatings, and insults. She became pregnant during this period. Her escape came during a military raid on the camp. As she fled on foot with her child strapped to her back, a stray bullet from a fighter jet struck her. Despite this, she continued her journey, walking for seven days to reach safety.
Maryam wore this hijab during her time in captivity and on the day of her escape. The item was gifted to her by a fellow abductee.
Item: Green Rope
Name of the survivor: Habiba (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 13
Location: Gujba, Yobe
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage, Rape and Physical abuse
Habiba was a primary school pupil when armed men entered her home and abducted her. She was forced into marriage with one of the insurgents. On the night she was coerced into marriage, she resisted. In response, her husband called on other armed men. She was tied down and raped until he was satisfied. The violence did not end that night. It became a pattern marked by beatings into physical exhaustion before sexual assault.
This is the rope used to tie Habiba before her abuser assaults her.
Item: Green Belt
Name of the survivor: Zara (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 21
Location: Gujba, Yobe
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage, Rape and Physical abuse
Zara was cooking when she heard gunshots. In the chaos that followed, her husband fled, leaving her behind. Zara was abducted and forced into marriage with a member of the armed group. The marriage ended and led to repeated rape by three to four men daily. She was then forced into a second marriage, which lasted a year and a half. The violence she endured took a heavy toll on her body, and she suffered three miscarriages.
This belt is what was used to flog Zara during her time in captivity.
Item: Green Ankara Skirt
Name of the survivor: Hauwa
Age at Incident: 31
Location: Gujba, Yobe
Abuse Endured: Physical violence and Rape
Hauwa was a schoolteacher, businesswoman, and a mother of three who lived peacefully in Buni Yadi. On the evening of a Sallah celebration, that peace was taken. Armed men took over the community, forcing her to flee with her mother and children. She later returned with her mother to retrieve some of her belongings, but unfortunately encountered three armed men, who raped her until she lost consciousness. When she regained consciousness, she managed to escape, taking only a few belongings with her. She survived but continues to face stigma in the community.
This cloth was on Hauwa’s body during the abuse.
Item: Engine Belt
Name of the survivor: Zainab
Age at Incident: 40
Location: Gujba, Yobe
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage, Rape, Physical violence
Zainab’s quiet life was shattered by conflict when three of her six children were killed by armed men.
Her community came under attack one midnight. In the chaos, her husband managed to escape. Zainab was seized alongside her eldest son, who was shot and killed before her eyes. Days after witnessing her son’s murder, she was abducted. For three years, she lived in captivity with fear, grief, and trauma, forced into marriage, repeatedly abused, beaten, and threatened with starvation. Her escape came during a military attack on the camp. She fled to Potiskum, hoping for safety, but instead faced stigma and rejection. When she later reunited with her husband, who had remarried, she was reluctantly accepted yet continued to face mistrust and emotional distance.
This was used to flog Zainab during captivity.
Item: Blue and White Striped Top
Name of the survivor: Maryam (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident:18
Location: Gujba, Yobe
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage, Sexual abuse
Maryam, an Islamiya student from a family of five, grew up in a home where life was peaceful. That life was shattered when armed men invaded her community. She was abducted and taken to their hideout. There, she was forced into marriage and subjected to repeated abuse. Life in captivity was marked by constant suffering and pain. She was eventually rescued by the military.
This is the cloth Maryam wore during her time in captivity.
Item: Wide stainless Bowl and Ring
Name of the survivor: Aisha (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 12
Location: Michika, Adamawa
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage
Aisha was both an Islamic and Western school student who supported herself by selling bean cakes and fried snacks. One evening, Boko Haram launched an attack, and she was abducted and taken from Gwoza to Bilhuda in Sambisa Forest, where she was handed over to a man known as Ali Doctor for treatment. The injuries she sustained from the gunshots led to the loss of three fingers.
After recovering, she was forced into marriage. She became pregnant and gave birth, but while she was resting one evening, a bomb attack occurred, killing her baby and causing further injuries to her head and remaining fingers.
The bowl is what Aisha used to beg for food from house to house.
The ring was given to her by Ali doctor
Item: Multi-coloured Bag
Name of the survivor: Maryam (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 13
Location: Michika, Adamawa
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage, Physical abuse
Maryam, a student and trader who sold alala and rosan, was preparing to sit for her JSSCE exams when Boko Haram members came in search of young women. She was abducted and forced into marriage, and was moved from Madagali to Gwoza, and later to Sambisa.
In captivity, life became unbearable as she endured repeated physical abuse. After some time, she left the marriage and fled, spending three days on the road before reaching a nearby community. This bag was given to her by Commander Siad Kahir, the man she was forced to marry in the camp.
The bag was used to store her clothes.
Item: Multi-coloured Blanket
Name of the survivor: Aisha (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 19
Location: Michika, Adamawa
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage
Before the conflict, Aisha lived peacefully with her family, earning a living by selling jankara (groundnut cake) and yaji (ground pepper). Her life was disrupted when Boko Haram attacked her community. As she tried to flee, she was captured and taken to Bazza, then moved through Gwoza and Bama, and eventually to Sambisa. In captivity, she was forced into marriage with a member of the insurgent group. She became pregnant, but her child did not survive. One day, while out gathering firewood with other abducted girls, including some from Chibok, she seized the opportunity to escape. However, upon returning home, she faced stigma from her community.
This bedsheet was a gift from a commander called Adam Bittri after she gave birth in Sambisa Forest.
Item: Yellow Star Ankara Wrapper (Pieces) and Stainless Bowl
Name of the survivor: Zainab (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 39
Location: Michika, Adamawa
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage
Zainab is a farmer with hectares of land and a large quantity of livestock. While on her farm, an attack occurred. Her husband was captured and killed, and she was abducted. In captivity, she was forced into marriage, driven by the fear of losing her life. One day, she found an opportunity to escape, carrying a young girl she had met in captivity on her back. As she fled, insurgents pursued her. She hid in a cave, where she sustained injuries. To avoid being found, she remained hidden during the day and walked at night
This bowl was a gift from her insurgent husband and was used for cooking and eating.
The Ankara wrapper was what she used to strap the young girl to her back when she escaped from Sambisa Forest.
Item: Red-flowered veil (Hijab)
Name of the survivor: Hadiza (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 20
Location: Michika, Adamawa
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage, Sexual, and Physical abuse
Hadiza earned a living selling kuli kuli (groundnut cake). Her life changed one Sunday morning, around 10 a.m., when her community came under an attack. As she tried to flee, she was captured in Michika and taken through Gulak and Gwoza, before ending up in Sambisa. In captivity, she was forced into marriage and endured repeated abuse. She made an initial attempt to escape but was caught, beaten, and returned to the camp. Later, she found another opportunity to flee. During her escape, she fell and dislocated her hand, but she kept moving until she reached safety and was eventually reunited with her family.
This is the outfit Hadiza was wearing when she was abducted and during her escape.
Item: Long Skirt, Hijab, and Brown Gilbab
Name of the survivor: Zainab (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 13
Location: Michika, Adamawa
Abuse Endured: Forced marriage, Sexual violence
A young married woman and a primary school pupil, Zainab’s dreams were cut short when Boko Haram insurgents attacked her community and abducted about 200 people. They were matched through Lagara to Sabilhuda, and eventually to Sambisa. During that journey, her husband was killed. She was forced into marriage with a member of the group. When she resisted, she was subjected to repeated sexual violence.
She remained in captivity for seven years. While in captivity, she sustained life-threatening injuries. On one occasion, while gathering firewood, she stepped on a bomb that severely damaged both her legs. Since then, she has relied on crutches to walk. During a military raid, she managed to escape with two of her children. However, upon returning to her community, she faced stigma and rejection. This Gilbad was given to women to wear in the camp. It was believed to be fortified with charms, such that when worn, no sound could be heard.
The long skirt and Hijab were the outfits Zainab wore in captivity.
Item: Black Sleeveless Shirt
Name of the survivor: Nasiru (Pseudonym)
Age at Incident: 9
Location: Michika, Adamawa
Abuse Endured: Forced conscription, Physical violence
Nasiru was an Islamic student who lived a normal life with his family before violence occurred. When Boko Haram insurgents invaded, he and his family—his parents, siblings, and other young boys—were taken. In captivity, his family were torn apart. His father was killed during a forced combat operation. His mother and sister were forced into marriage. Nasiru was forced into marriage at the age of nine and conscripted into the insurgent group, where he was forced to participate in activities no child should ever be asked to bear.
Inside the camp, he lost his niece and cousin in a bomb blast and endured several abuses within the camp. When he attempted to escape, he was caught and beaten until he lost consciousness. When a military invasion happened, he escaped. This item was worn by Nasiru in the camp and was sometimes used to fight.