When asked about the first female martyr in the history of the Islamic Movement, the answer is Martyr Aliyah. And when also asked about the first elderly woman to attained martyrdom in the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, the answer is still Martyr Aliyah.
Truly Allah has blessed her with one of the greatest blessings; she is the mother of two martyrs who were martyred on the same day. She was born in 1935 in the house of Malam Rabi’u her father. She attained martyrdom at the age of 62. She was raised well by her mother Amamatu, when she came of age, she was married off to Malam Idris the father of Martyr Ibrahim. They were living in harmony when her first husband passed away after a brief sickness.
She later married Malam Ilyasu, the father of Martyr Umar. Malam Ilyasu passed away when Umar was 6 years old. She didn’t get married for a while, she then later got married for the third time.
Martyr Aliya came in touch with the Islamic Movement through her children due to their obedient, submissive and generous character. She called her son Martyr Ibrahim and told him “Explain to me so I can also gain from this gift Allah has given you.” From his explanation, she stood firm and gave her all to the Islamic Movement.
I knew her as someone who never breaks her promises
this was one of the testimonies of her neighbours. Some also said “If it’s Aliyah, even before the movement, we knew her as a very religious person, and after joining the Islamic movement, she became more religious.” One of the people who stayed with her in the hospital said “in my life, I’ve met many people but I’ve never met a woman who prays as much as Aliyah, every time I wake up, even in the middle of the night, I find her praying”.
Councilor Dantsamaye was the one who went to the women’s section with the police and pointed at her, with whose directives they shot her to death.
Attack: The Yar-rimawa Attack, 1996
Relative(s) Martyred: Martyr Umar Ilyasu Takure and Martyr Ibraheem Idris Ahmad (Children)