In the hills of Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, an entire community has spent three years living under the iron grip of Fulani kidnappers—a reality that defies comprehension.
The man in this photograph agreed to speak with our correspondent on condition of anonymity. His back is all we can show, for revealing his identity would mean certain death. It took him seven days to escape his village, which we have also chosen not to name to protect those still trapped within.
Married with five children, he describes a life stripped of dignity. His wife, like every other woman in the community, no longer belongs to him. The kidnappers take her whenever the urge strikes—sometimes in full view of their children. Protest is futile; dissenters are shot.
A System of Subjugation
The bandits have imposed a chilling routine. A blanket left outside a home or a stick dropped at a doorway signals that a kidnapper will claim the wife or daughter that night. The husband must sleep outside.
Escape is nearly impossible. Those caught fleeing are executed. Baggage is searched without warning. Farming is permitted, but a quarter of every harvest is surrendered to the bandits.
Modern conveniences are forbidden. Mobile phones are banned; possession invites a bullet. New clothing is confiscated on sight. Torchlights are a bandit monopoly. Only ageing motorcycles are allowed—new ones are seized immediately. Petrol is purchased by the kidnappers and resold to villagers at their mercy.
Even farming tools are restricted. Machetes are prohibited; only hoes and diggers are permitted.
Movement Controlled, Families Held Hostage
Residents may visit neighbouring communities that have also submitted to bandit rule. However, if they need supplies from a village yet to capitulate, only women are permitted to go. Should they fail to return, their husbands and children face execution.
When men travel to outside markets to sell grain or buy essentials, their families remain behind as collateral.
Young men are conscripted to accompany bandits on raids—forced to ride motorcycles while their captors sit behind with rifles. Refusal means death.
Institutions Collapse
Church services can only hold when bandits are absent. Schools have shut down as teachers fled. Primary health centres no longer function.
Sometimes, the kidnappers randomly select villagers and execute them—a brutal reminder of the price of defiance.
A Widespread Crisis
This community is not alone. More than 20 villages in Kajuru LGA, approximately 30 in Kachia LGA, and dozens in Chikun LGA have entered similar agreements with kidnappers. While the terms vary, the common thread is total subjugation.
This account, harrowing as it is, represents only a fraction of what this man endured.
Source: Reuben Buhari Facebook page