I Was Forced to Wed 3 B/Haram Terrorists–Rescued Chibok Girl

Hauwa Maltha, one of the two Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok students recently rescued by the military, claimed on Thursday that she was made to wed three terrorists in the nine years following their 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping.

When talking to reporters, Hauwa expressed her happiness over their rescue and revealed that the military had saved them when they had gone out into the forest to fetch water.

When asked if they were forced to get married to more than one husband, she answered: “Yes, it was Shekau that married us to them. The first husband went away. Unfortunately, he never returned and Shekau said the marriage had collapsed since they chose to be infidels.

"We did not do it intentionally. I married three different men. There, I married another fighter at the village, and he died after a fight between the Shekau soldiers. I have two children with him before the last one.”

The Theatre Commander of the North-East Joint Operation, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Ali, briefed reporters at the Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri and stated that Hauwa Maltha and Esther Marcus, both serial numbers 2 and 103 on the list of the missing victims, were found on April 21, 2023, by soldiers from the 114 Taskforce Battalion Bitta at Lagara, under the command of the 21 Armored Brigade Bama.

He reported the rescue of Hauwa Maltha, a 26-year-old Kibaku woman from Jila in the Chibok Local Government of Borno State, along with her 3-year-old child.

He explained that Hauwa married Salman, a cameraman for Abubakar Shekau, in the village of Gulukos in the Sambisa forest while she was still being held captive.

"Salman later died in Lake Chad. Thereafter, Hauwa Maltha got married to one Mallam Muhammad in Gobara and had two children for him who later died due to sickness. Muhammad, her second husband, was also killed in Ukuba terrorist enclaves in Sambisa forest during clashes between Boko Haram/ISWAP,” he said.

“Hauwa who was about eight months and two weeks pregnant during the time of her rescue delivered a bouncing baby boy on 28 April 2023 while undergoing thorough medical examination along with her baby Fatima at 7 Div Medical Hospital and Services, “he said.

According to Ali, the 26-year-old Esther was forcibly married to a Boko Haram fighter named Garba, also known as Garus, while she was a captive. Garba was killed when troops launched an attack against the terrorists' strongholds.

"She was later married off to another insurgents, Abba, in Ukuba terrorist enclaves in Sambisa forest until her rescue by troops of Operation Hadin Kai.

“Since their rescue, they have undergone thorough medical examination along with their babies and are adequately resuscitated and will be handed over to the Borno State government for further administration.

“These results are evident as troops have rescued about 14 Chibok girls recently.

“The girls rescued so far include; Aisha Grema, serial number 11 on the abducted Chibok girls list, Hannatu Musa, number 7 on the list, and Sera Luka, number 38 on the list.

“Others are; Ruth Bitrus, number 41, Mary Dauda, number 46, Hauwa Joseph, number 18, Falmata Lawan, number 3, Asabe Ali, number 12, Jankai Yamal, number 20, Yana Pogu, number 19, Rejoice Sanki, number 70 and Hassana Adamu, number 35,”he said.

The District Head of Chibok, Engr. Zanna Modu Chibok, responded to the development by saying he was thrilled to hear of the rescue of additional girls but wished they had all emerged.

“It is a thing of joy to all of us that hope is not lost, we sincerely thank all who have made this possible. We salute our gallant troops for this feat and more. We shall continue to pray for the safe return of others who are still captives,” he said.