The group kidnapped more than 270 girls from their school in Chibok, Nigeria, in April 2014. More than 200 are still missing. The video was released on social media by a Nigerian journalist who is in contact with a faction of Boko Haram that split from the main Islamist militant group after its leader was removed by the Islamic State.
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An intelligence analyst, Tanwa Ashiru, has called on the military to rethink its decision to declare the journalist and two others wanted, over the newly released Boko Haram video.
This post was syndicated from Vanguard News.
The footage from Boko Haram, posted on Twitter Sunday by Nigerian journalist Ahmad Salkida, appears to show more than 40 girls, covered in hijabs and some holding infants.
Bring Back Our Girls spokesman Abubakar Abdullahi earlier on Sunday said at least one of the girls had been recognised by a member of the movement.
Madam Oby Ezekwesili, who is a founder of Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) organization, says that this group can go to the Presidential Villa every day if it is necessary in order to rescue girls. There is no kind of suffering we haven’t seen. The video shows a Boko Haram militant speaking in front of the girls, stating that some of them have already contracted marriage with members of the group. No one cares for us. In May, a lone Chibok girl escaped from the Sambisa Forest stronghold of Boko Haram, saying she was led to freedom by her disillusioned Boko Haram “husband”. “We don’t want to watch the fourth video” – she added. “I’m begging our parents to meet the government to release their people so that we can be released”.
He claims five of the Chibok girls were killed by Nigerian military jets during an attack on the group’s compound. He says some of the girls have life-threatening injuries, and that 40 have been “married” to militants. Loosely translated, Boko Haram means “Western education is forbidden”, and schools are a favorite target.
Nigeria’s Air Force has reported near-daily bombardments of Boko Haram camps and the military of increased ground assaults in which they have freed thousands of captives, though none of the Chibok girls. “These girls have been kidnapped during education, which endlessly disturbed me” – the woman has said.
Nigeria has witnessed more than seven years of fighting that has left more than 20,000 people dead and driven 2.2 million people from their homes.
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Nigerien soldiers hold up a Boko Haram flag.
