A famous female hunter in Adamawa State, Aisha Bakari Gombi, has been honoured for her bravery against Boko Haram and other anti-social elements.
Aisha, who is otherwise called ‘Boko Haram hunter’ after she has led her band in recent times against Boko Haram and rescued many people abducted by the sect, received a merit award from an NGO, Royalty Women for Peace and Development Initiative (ROWPDI).
The NGO said the award was in recognition of Aisha’s record in complementing the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in counter-insurgency operations, armed banditry and kidnapping.
Aisha Gombi, who was born and raised in Gombi, a town and local government area in the northern part of Adamawa State, got into hunting as a tomboy in the early years of her life, usually following her father and grandfather on hunting expeditions.
She has said in a press interview that she got angry against Boko Haram and started hunting for them after they attacked her birth place twice and came back a third time.
Recalling the countdown to her adventures against Boko Haram in a recent interview, Aisha Gombi said, “When they (Boko Haram) came into our town, we went back into our house and stayed there. They didn’t come into our own house but they had burnt other houses and killed a lot of people and they left. The second time they came, they did the same thing. The third time was when I said, enough is enough.”
She said she had stormed out of her house with a bow and arrows, but that man who saw her determination and was proud of her, gave her his gun which she has been using till date.
Presenting their award of excellence on her, President of ROWPDI), Hajiya Mairatu Bello, praised the ‘Queen Hunter’ for her sacrifice for her fatherland, saying, “Our sister, we are proud of you. You are a great and brave woman. Today, we gather here to celebrate you as one of our heroes.”
In her response, the ‘Boko Haram fighter’ said although the vocation she had chosen is tasking and risky, she had to do it to help her people and reduce their anxiety over Boko Haram insurgents and bandits.
