Christie Garba is a 38-year-old mother of seven who lives in Billiri, Gombe State, in Nigeria’s North East. She lived in Yobe State with her family before the Boko Haram insurgency hit the region. At that time, attacks had happened in nearby places, and they had not reached her community directly.
Christie and her family had stayed about four months after the attacks started, but as the violence escalated, the soldiers warned residents that the situation had become too dangerous to remain. The curfews that followed made everyday life almost impossible.
In this episode of VOV, we tell the story of how Christie and her family moved to Gombe State and how she survived starting a new business.
Reported and scripted by Sabiqah Bello
Voice acting by Rukayya Saeed
Multimedia editor is Anthony Asemota
Executive producer is Ahmad Salkida
Christie Garba, a 38-year-old mother of seven, relocated from Yobe State to Billiri, Gombe State in Nigeria due to the Boko Haram insurgency. Initially, her community was indirectly impacted, but the increasing violence and subsequent military curfews forced her family to move to ensure their safety.
Despite the challenges, Christie successfully established a new business in Gombe State, showing resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.
Her story highlights the impact of regional conflict and the determination required to rebuild and sustain a livelihood in new environments.