WHO WILL TELL OUR STORY? THE SILENCE AROUND MUSLIM VICTIMS OF TERROR IN NIGERIA

By Ahmad M. Salihu

A Cry Lost in Silence

“Unless you blow your trumpet, nobody will blow it for you.” This timeless proverb mirrors the tragic reality facing many Muslims across Northern Nigeria. For years, communities in Plateau, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States have endured massacres, mass displacements, and destruction at the hands of terrorists and bandits. Yet, beyond the immediate pain and sorrow, another tragedy unfolds quietly—the tragedy of silence and invisibility.

Each time a village is attacked, we lament. Survivors flee to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, where life is reduced to survival and dependence. But soon after, the world moves on. There is little record, no structured data, and no credible report to capture the true scale of what has been lost. The deaths become numbers that were never counted, and stories that were never told.

The Power of Data — and Our Absence in It

In today’s world, data drives recognition, justice, and action. Humanitarian aid, international attention, and global sympathy often depend on verifiable facts and figures. When people cannot quantify their losses, they risk being erased from the pages of history.

Sadly, Nigerian Muslims have not developed the culture of documentation. While others record their tragedies, build databases, and mobilize advocacy around their pain, we remain largely reactive—lamenting, praying, and moving on. The result? The global community lacks reliable information about the number of Muslims killed, displaced, or traumatized by terrorism and civil unrest in Nigeria.

Who Speaks for the Victims?

A disturbing question remains unanswered: Do we have any registered and recognized Muslim NGO that provides comprehensive data on Muslim victims of terrorism across Nigeria? Who is counting the widows in Zamfara, the orphans in Borno, or the displaced in Plateau?

Our silence has allowed others to define the narrative of our suffering—sometimes in ways that distort the truth or minimize our pain. The absence of organized documentation means there is no foundation for advocacy, compensation, or justice.

A Call to Action

It is time to rise and tell our own story. We need credible, transparent institutions devoted to recording and reporting every attack, every death, and every displacement that affects Muslims in Nigeria. We need advocacy organizations that speak boldly to both the Nigerian government and the international community, ensuring that Muslim victims of terrorism are not forgotten.

Documentation is not about propaganda; it is about preserving truth, demanding justice, and restoring dignity to the countless lives lost in silence.

Conclusion: Blow the Trumpet Loudly

If we continue to keep quiet, our stories will die with us. Our pain deserves to be known, our dead deserve to be counted, and our displaced deserve to be heard. The world will only listen when we begin to speak—with facts, with data, and with one unified voice.

Because indeed, unless we blow our trumpet, no one else will.