In April 2014, more than 270 girls were abducted from a school in Chibok, Nigeria. While some girls managed to escape during and immediately after the kidnappings, 219 remained missing. Terror outfit Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the abduction, sparking worldwide outrage.
It is estimated that Boko Haram has kidnapped thousands of women and children to use as slaves and in bombing attacks. They are subjected to sexual abuse, as well as mental and physical trauma.
After the Chibok abduction, personalities like Michelle Obama, Malala Yousafzai, Ellen DeGeneres, and Rihanna joined the #BringBackOurGirls campaign on platforms like Twitter and Instagram to raise awareness across the world about the atrocities committed by Boko Haram.
Our prayers are with the missing Nigerian girls and their families. It's time to #BringBackOurGirls. -mo pic.twitter.com/glDKDotJRt
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) May 7, 2014
Last week, more than two years after the mass abduction took place, one of the missing schoolgirls was found, and reunited with her mother.
Amina Ali, now 19 years old, was reported to have been wandering in the Sambisa forest, reported to be the hideout of Boko Haram’s members, when she was spotted by members of a vigilante group.
With her was her husband, to whom she had been married while in captivity, and her 4-month old daughter. Reports later claimed that the man is a suspected Boko Haram terrorist.
Amina said that while several girls that had been abducted along with her in 2014 had died, most were still alive and in the forest.
Sparking further hope are reports that another kidnapped girl, Serah Luka, has been found. Nigerian news agencies earlier reported that Serah was one of the missing 219 Chibok girls. However, reports later suggested that while she had attended the same school, she was not there the night of the mass kidnapping. She was apparently abducted at a later date from her hometown, Madagali.
A representative from Bring Back Our Girls said in a statement, “Every citizen returned is a victory for us all.”
While Boko Haram only gained international attention after the April 2014 kidnappings, it is one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world. According to the Global Terrorism Index, Boko Haram was responsible for 6,644 deaths in 2014, more than ISIS.
A Nigerian woman said she was drugged by Boko Haram who tried to use her as a suicide bomberhttps://t.co/dtB8X9dkQWpic.twitter.com/MkRYv7ysQI
— BBC Africa (@BBCAfrica) May 23, 2016
The U.S. administration is seeking to approve a sale of several attack aircraft to Nigeria to aid its battle against Boko haram. Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, among several other countries, along with several international organizations, have pledged their continued support to Nigeria.
Join the battle against Boko Haram as a global citizen with #BringBackOurGirls.