During such an attack on a refugee camp in the northeast Nigeria town of Dolori in February 2016, which left dozens dead, one of the three girls changed her mind about detonating the explosives strapped to her torso after she identified members of her family among those in the camp.
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“I can’t believe it until I saw these girls with my own eyes”, said Yama, who hasn’t seen the video.
Boko Haram firebombed buildings as they took off with girls.
People hold candles during a vigil to mark the one year anniversary of the abduction of girls studying at the Chibok government secondary school, Abuja, April 14, 2015.
“Bring back our girls”: The demand, circulated on social media by ordinary citizens and such high-profile figures such as first lady Michelle Obama alike, is a simple one.
The December video was passed through an intermediary to the Nigerian government before CNN obtained it. It shows the girls standing in front of a blank wall wearing long, dark Islamic gowns with only their faces visible. If true, it would be the first concrete news of the missing girls’ whereabouts in months.
The Nigerian government of former president Goodluck Jonathan was criticised for its slow response to acknowledge the kidnapping and for its inability to find and recover the girls. “We will always stand with you”, 17-year-old Yousafzai wrote in an open letter to the missing girls. In the case of the Chibok girls, some argue that the publicity has had the side effect of increasing their symbolic value as hostages, making it less likely that Boko Haram will release them.
“They are ongoing talks…”
Chibok mothers watching the video. However, she said there were reasons to be optimistic about rescuing the girls and encouraged them to “never lose hope”.
While moving her motion in an emotion-laden voice, Bahir said a dark cloud had enveloped the world of the parents of the girls, two years on, without a word of assurance on how they would re-connect with their loved ones.
Amnesty International says about 2,000 children have been abducted by Boko Haram since 2014. Many are used as sex slaves, fighters and – increasingly – suicide bombers.
Nigerian activists carry placards Thursday with pictures of schoolgirls kidnapped by the militant group Boko Haram in 2014.
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Clinton on Thursday said that locating the missing girls is essential for improving gender equality worldwide and discouraging future terrorism. I really cannot end this report without truly thanking our Nigerian military for their valour and patriotism.It adds that Nigerian troops have used schools for military purposes, violating a federal law and opening schools to the risk of attack, and calls for the Nigerian government to commit to more school security and nationwide improvements in education. It must also make sure that all schools across the country are safe so that all girls are able to fulfil their right to go to school without fear of violence.
