"As a mother, I lost five of my children during the Zaria massacre and one of my sons is carrying a bullet in his chest right now."
Hajiya Jumai Karofi, a member of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), has narrated how she lost her five children during the violent clash between the group and Nigerian army in Zaria Kaduna State in December 2015.
She narrated her experience on Monday in Abuja during a Shuhada Foundation Programme of the movement to honour deceased members.
Karofi stated that her five children were shot dead in cold blood during the Zaria massacre, adding that the sixth one was in the hospital as a result of the gunshot injuries.
She maintained that her faith in the movement remains unshakable despite the unfortunate incident that has befallen her.
Recounting her ordeal, she said: "There is no discouragement in the struggle. Even historically, when you read about people who stood against tyranny, even not religiously, once you take a step backwards, the oppressors get even stronger. So, the only way is to persist, stand firm and sacrifice everything and get what you want.
"And for that, we shall live and for it we shall die. We will never take a step backward. This is a promise from us.
"Today, we are commemorating and remembering our martyrs. As a mother, I lost five of my children during the Zaria massacre and one of my sons is carrying a bullet in his chest right now. Also, I have shot several times; as you could see, when I was coming, they had to hold my hands because of the extent of my pain.”