single-handedly rescued his
captive sons from the Boko Haram militant
group.
Madu Zaromi says that his home in
Damasak, in the north-eastern state of
Borno, is in an area of the country that
remains under the control of the Islamist
organisation.
President Muhammadu Buhari claimed in
February that Boko Haram no longer hold
"any territory" in Nigeria. However, this is
commonly understood to be an exaggeration
by the former general, as he attempts to
follow through on his crucial election
promise to defeat the insurgency .
In an interview with Nigeria's Daily
Trust magazine, Mr Zaromi suggested that
Boko Haram retains control over areas of its
former stronghold in the north-east. He
described his hometown as a "ghost town"
where "[gun]fire" can still be seen at night.
The rise of Boko Haram
Damasak was overrun by Boko Haram in
November 2014, but it was recaptured by
Chadian and Nigerian soldiers in March
2015. Troops subsequently discovered 400
decomposed bodies in the town, and it was
claimed by locals that a further 400 women
and children from the area were kidnapped.
But in February 2016, Nigerian news sources
reported that the town was back under the
control of Boko Haram.
Mr Zaromi was in the town when the
terrorist group took it over for the first time
in 2014. He said: "At first I thought they
were robbers who invaded the town, but
later I realised they were insurgents."
He was with his two youngest children and
only sons, 16-year-old Bana and 14-year-old
Momodu. Their home was invaded by Boko
Haram insurgents, who struck him and
absconded with the boys.
After recuperating alone in the town for a
couple of days, he said he struck up a
conversation with an "armed young man",
presumably a sympathetic Boko Haram
fighter, who "showed concern and promised
to help."
The young fighter showed Mr Zaromi where
he could find an "Amir", saying: "He is our
leader. Tell him what you want. Do not tell
anyone that somebody directed you. Your
children must be in the building.
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