Love Under Siege

The brides and grooms defying the jihadist militants laying siege to the city of Maiduguri in Nigeria, spiritual home of Boko Haram, a terrorist group at the centre of an insurgency that has killed over 36,000 people and displaced more than two million. With Covid lockdowns over and the militants driven out to north-eastern Nigeria, Yousra Elbagir discovers a city determined to reclaim the joy of weddings despite the ongoing risk of kidnappings and attacks. The reporter hears stories of loss and desperation, but also meets the residents determined to repair mental scars and rebuild Maiduguri for its people.