"Hollow Souls” is a photo story that strictly employs portraits to
tell different narratives of various victims of insurgency. Victims,
as narrators of their own stories, talks about sorrow left behind by
members of Boko Haram in lives of children, men and mostly women, many
of whom lost some of their loved ones to insurgency.
As a result of countless surprised attacks by members of Boko Haram,
millions of lives are being psychologically tormented. In different
locations in northeastern Nigeria, many Nigerians are still being
displaced from their ancestral homes—in spite of efforts by the
Nigerian government to resettle displaced persons. Insurgency in
northeastern Nigeria is spread by a religious group, known as Boko
Haram. Some victims interviewed confessed to seeing in government IDP camps some members of Boko Haram, whom attacked the IDPs in theirancestral homes. As a result of this claim, the victims keep away from government IDP camps.
It hurts to see some of the victims try hard to smile at the beginning
of their narratives only to end up in tears before the conclusion of
their stories. Most of these victims seek justice against members of
Boko Haram, contrary to amnesty granted to some claimed repentant
members of the religious extremist group.
Story & images by Immanuel Afolabi
Price - GBP 250
Displaced women, some of whom are widows, on a farm
Members of Boko Haram chased Martha Garba out of Gulak, Madagali, in Adamawa State, after an attack in which Marthaâ's husband was murdered. Contrary to Marthaâ's story, her neighbours claim that members of Boko Haram captured and threatened her to deceptively convince her husband to descend a mountain, which served as her familyâs fortress. Allegedly deceived by his wife, whom was under Boko Haramâs threat, Marthaâs husband thought his village was freed of Boko Haram, and so returned to his death, at his house. Martha eventually escaped with her five children to Yola, the state capital of Adamawa, where she now works as a hired farm worker so as to ensure that her four childrenâbesides her babyâattend school.
Members of Boko Haram chased Martha Garba out of Gulak, Madagali, in Adamawa State, after an attack in which Marthaâs husband was murdered. Contrary to Marthaâs story, her neighbours claim that members of Boko Haram captured and threatened her to deceptively convince her husband to descend a mountain, which served as her familyâs fortress. Allegedly deceived by his wife, whom was under Boko Haramâs threat, Marthaâs husband thought his village was freed of Boko Haram, and so returned to his death, at his house. Martha eventually escaped with her five children to Yola, the state capital of Adamawa, where she works as a hired farm worker.
An internally displaced grandmother woman, who lost her husband to attacks from Boko Haram, gathers dry twigs, from forest, to make fire for cooking. The forest was one of the primary shelters for IDPs at the outset of insurgency.
Asabey John witnessed how her four sons were beheaded by members of Boko Haram, during the capture of her village in Gwoza, Borno state. She wrapped the blood-dripping severed heads of her late sons in her wrapper, for a quick burial that was done by her husband, who has since been separated from his family. Asabey John was last seen at the Deeper Life Camp, at Kwana Waya, Adamawa state, where her other three sons roam around and her only daughter works as a hired farm worker, her motherâs occupation too. She occasionally speaks on phone with her husband, who claims he has no money to travel to Nigeria. He is currently living as one of many Nigerian refugees in Cameroun.
54 year-old Tani Ishaku together with her husband fled her village, Gava in Gwoza, during a Boko Haram attack. Her husband escaped to a mountain but no news since then has been heard about himâthough Taniâs father dared and climbed the mountain to search for his son.
50 year-old Hanatu Yakubu is from Amuda, in Gwoza. Her husband was a police officer, kidnapped, stripped naked, tied to a tree and beaten to death by members of Boko Haram because one of the leaders of the sect was killed by a police officer.
Saraya Joshuaâs husband used to be a teacher in Amuda in Gwoza, Borno state. On his way home from school, he ran into some strangers whom cheerfully greeted and chatted with him. They promised to come and be his guests later in the evening. Sarayaâs husband informed his wife about the august visitors, whom were unknown to the couple as members of the deadly sectâBoko Haram. When the visitors arrived later that day, they met Sarayaâs husband with two of his friends. They shot the trio dead. Saraya also lost one of her sons to Boko Haram. Sarayaâs husband may have been targeted for execution because of his profession.
At the invasion of her village, Gava in Gwoza, 54 year-old Asabey Aliâs family fled. Her husband climbed a mountain, where some villagers also took refuge. Members of Boko Haram, however, hunted those on the mountain during which Asabeyâs husband was killed. Asabey now stays in St Theresa Catholic church, Jimeta-Yola, while her four children live in Cameroun and Nigeria as refugees and displaced persons.
60 year-old Zaratu Bitrus, Rufkat Amos, and Marayam Yakubu, from Gwoza in Borno state, and victims of book Haram attacks, which left them all as widows
When Boko Haram invaded her village, they set houses ablaze. 60 year old Zaratu Marcus fled from her home, Gava in Gwoza, but left behind in panic her husband, whom had a mental illness. Some villagers told her that her husband was burnt alive in the house but other people claimed he was shot dead. Zaratu eventually escaped from Gava to Adamawa with her nine children, who live as displaced persons at the Damari camp along Girei road in Adamawa.
60 year-old Zaratu Bitrus, mother of six children, was with her husband when Boko Haram invaded her village, Gava in Gwoza, Borno State. They fired ammunitions sporadically. Zaratuâs husband was scared and blindly ran out of his house. He got shot as he fled.
Rufkat Amos is from Gwose village in Gwoza, Borno state. Her husband was a gateman at EYN Church, Konguda, but was slaughtered by some members of Boko Haram during an attack. One of her five children live at the moment as a refugee in Cameroun, while others are living as internally displaced persons in Abuja and Gombe.
Marayam Yakubu, is from Gwoza, in Borno state. Her husband was slaughtered by members of Boko Haram while she was at work. She left Gwoza with her children. At the moment, her children live as displaced persons in Mubi town, Adamawa, while she stays in Jimeta-Yola.