Must Read: Heart Touching Story By Uniosun Student Will Make You Cry

LIFE IN BABIDA FOREST

We sat under a mango tree in the night listening to the folk tales from Mallam Sala. We were smiling as he was narrating the comic life of tortoise who was in power tussle with Lion.

The narration was accompanied with songs and gyration. After some minutes, we heard a sound that shook the ground. “Is that asteroid? Or what is it?” Ahmed asked.

We ran inside in fear because of the sound which we could not predict its source. I was shocked when I saw Mallam Sala running away.

He had narrated the tale of the fearless farmer and affirmed that he is an enemy to fear. Through the window, we saw smoke flying as if to hug the sky. My friends and I were screaming because we did not want to wallow in fire.

We were still unable to figure out what was happening. “Is there any tribal war?” Zainab asked. I started reciting the verse on forgiveness because I had concluded that I would die.


Some men began coming towards our house, they tied scarf round their face and left their eyes only. The bullets on their body and the guns they held made Amina to pee in her pant.

As they were approaching our house, they started shooting people who were trying to elope. A masked man who climbed three men with a microphone on his hand began addressing us. ” I am the commander of this sect, everybody inside should come out now before I burn all the houses here” he roared. Steadily, we matched out of our house as been ordered by our parents.


I had viewed my parents as fearless being, surprisingly, they became timid in the sight of gun. We knelt down in fear and Fatima; the most beautiful girl in our household was brought out and raped by the commander. No one could save her despite her scream and the tears that slipped down her face.


We children were separated from the adults. The way my mother was sobbing affected my emotion. We are here to indoctrinate you into our religion, we will bag away your children so that they will be our successor the commander said. We were taken away through two trucks.


The journey was very long that we had some break. I eavesdropped what the masked men were saying that we would be taken to Mumusa mountain. We will celebrate the successful mission when we finally reach Mumusa mountain, a masked man said. We did not know where Mumusa mountain was located but we later knew when we got there.


Our expectation was disappointed because we thought they would maltreat us but they treated us well.


We were enjoying ourselves through the warm welcome that the sect gave us. A banquet was held on our arrival. I was confused if they were celebrating us or their successful mission. During the banquet, the commander told us that some of us would be taken to Babida forest while some would remain in Mumusa mountain. I was afraid to be separated from my friends because I was chosen to go to Babida forest.


No one to called on, we embarked on the journey to Babida forest. I observed that different armed men were stationed on the road. They were hailing themselves on our arrival. As we got there, another banquet was held and we ate rich foods. We were told to be free with people here because they are freedom fighters and religious ones.
In the evening, my friends and I strolled around Babida forest.


The environment was very beautiful. As we reached Babida market, we saw a big worshipping house where the masked men were there worshiping the god I do not know. Waoh! Babida is a new nation. An announcement was made that we should all gather for orientation on how things were been run there.


Though I knew that it was not an orientation but a form of indoctrination, yet, I attended because I valued my life. Truly, we were indoctrinated. We drank a cup of water after the commander chanted into it. Our eyes became red and we craved to kill anybody who was not of Babida forest or Mumusa mountain. I could not remember my name nor my background.



The news that some of our mates in Mumusa mountain had been married to the masked men feared us because we were like an unripe mango that shouldnt be eaten. Later, the commander summoned us and allocated us to different men. I was given to one ugly man called Dakur. Dakur took me into his house. I was curious about what he wanted to do to me. Hey, put off your cloth and lay on the bed, Dakur said. I was surprised that he wanted to have an intercourse with a 12 year old girl.


Yes, I was deflowered by Dakur who raped me. For days, I was not myself because of the image of blood that gushed out from me. Our life was tattered as we were told that we would join the next mission. I was chosen to join the people.


When they noticed my resistance, I was given another cup to drink. My eyes changed and my courage was as strong as a rock. I was armed and we embarked on the mission. I killed some soldiers in the battle front and we returned victorious. Two days after that, my friend, Fatima died in a suicide mission. Again, Jumia died in another mission which called our attention that we were captives.



How will I escape from Babida forest? I rhetorically asked. My mates and I assembled ourselves secretly and attempted to escape. We have been moving before we heard an alarm that we were missing.



We were chased and I was caught after my leg slipped. I was brought back into the forest and I saw the dead bodies of my friends who also attempted to escape. It would have been better if I was beaten or killed as my friends were killed. Ah!. I was raped my 10 men as a punishment for my attempt. I was crying and already concluded that I would die. I fainted when the fifth man was on me. When I woke up, I was that same water to drink. I discovered that anytime I drank the water, my reasoning would be that of a beast and the water works in my body only for two days before renewal.



The pain of the rape affected my life. I was still mourning when trucks drove in another set of captives. They assembled them and planted bombs on them. Their mission was to bomb the community that I came from. I volunteered to join the mission because of the water I drank. I was given a gun to shoot any survivor of bomb blast. Before we embarked on the new mission, I was told to kill a runaway masked man.



He was buried after I smashed rocky stone on his head. Yes, we reached my community, I dropped down from the lorry, I started shooting those who survived the bomb blast. I saw my mother who was dying on the floor, yes, I killed her.



My daughter; Kalifa she shouted. I killed her because she was like a beast in my sight. We drove back to Babida forest and our return was celebrated.



After two days, the picture of my mother I killed began showing up, I was having nightmare. Then, I concluded to escape. I had already left Babida when I was caught again.




Ah! will I be raped by 10 men again I lamented. They were taking me back when an alarm rand that soldiers had laid an ambush around the forest.


They left me and ran back into the forest. I preferred being killed by the soldiers to rape. The soldiers appeared to me and took me away. I am still deliberating on what their judgment would be.