According to The Nation, Jugule Ahmed's life dramatically changed after Boko Haram insurgents attacked his village, Bulawaziri, in Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State. Before the incident, Ahmed was a prosperous farmer and a respected community leader. The insurgents' assault on Gwoza's villages resulted in significant loss of life and property, marking a devastating turn for Ahmed and his fellow villagers.
During the attack, Ahmed fled into the forest, running as fast as he could to escape the terror. He trekked many kilometers, eventually finding refuge in Madagali, a community in Adamawa State that borders Borno. Despite his escape, he was unable to save his family. The insurgents kidnapped his wife, Tuma Ahmed, and their two children. In the chaos, they also killed one of his sons and his two younger brothers, in addition to destroying his home, cattle, and farm produce.
Two years after the harrowing attacks, a military operation freed Ahmed's wife and children from the terrorists' clutches. While this reunion should have been a moment of joy, it instead brought further distress. Ahmed discovered that his wife had been indoctrinated into Boko Haram's religious ideology, and their eldest child had also been radicalized by the insurgents. This ideological transformation led to a permanent separation between Ahmed and his wife.
Ahmed expressed mixed emotions about the reunion. He was initially overjoyed to hear that his family had been released after the military's successful operation against the terrorists. His happiness was rooted in the couple's twenty-year marriage before the abduction. However, the changes in his wife and child were profound and unsettling.
He said: “I was very happy when I heard that my wife and children had been released after troops stormed the base of the terrorists and neutralised them.
“I was happy because my wife and I had been married for 20 years before she was abducted by the insurgents.
Unfortunately, my wife had developed a sectarian Islamic belief, having been indoctrinated by Boko Haram, while one of my children had also been radicalized by the group.
“To worsen matters, my wife came back to my village, Gwoza, with two additional children she had for two different Boko Haram commanders.