In April 2014, more than 200 Nigerian girls were kidnapped from a secondary school in Chibok by a terrorist group known as Boko Haram.
What is Boko Haram?
The Boko Haram is an Islamic extremist organisation located in northeastern Nigeria. The group was led by Abubaker Shekau until he stepped down in August last year. The position of leader was then given to Abu Musab al-Barnawi. The group has pledged allegiance to the Islamic state of Iraq and the Levant, more commonly know as ISIL.
Known as the world’s deadliest terrorist group, the Boko Haram is opposed to Western-style modern education and wishes to institute an Islamic caliphate in Nigeria.
Since the Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009, the group has killed 20 000 people and displaced more than 20 million from their homes.
The Kidnapping
On the night of April 14, 2014, a group of militants attacked the Government Secondary School in Chibok, Nigeria. They forcibly entered the school, and upon pretending to be guards, told the girls to come with them. 276 female students were abducted. The Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the abductions.
The students were said to between the ages of 16 and 18 and were in their final year of school.
Over the months that followed, 57 girls escaped their clutches, with chilling stories to tell. The girls were being forced into marriages with members of Boko Haram. Non-Muslim students were forced to convert to Islam, and many were taken across the borders to neighbouring countries such as Cameroon and Chad.
Last October, 20 girls were released after tireless negotiations between the Boko Haram and the Nigerian government. The ISIL-allied faction was allegedly willing to negotiate the release of another 83 girls.
The Release of 82 Girls
It has been confirmed that Boko Haram militants have released 82 girls out of the group of more than 200. The release followed negotiations between the Nigerian government and the terrorist organisation.
CNN reported that the girls are now in military custody in Banki, Nigeria. They will be transferred to the capital, Abuja, for medical checks before being reunited with their families.
Although not all the girls have been freed, this reignites hope that someday they will be. We can only pray that the girls who remain with Boko Haram find freedom soon.
#BringBackOurGirls
