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In April 2014, 276 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram from their school in Chibok, Nigeria. The kidnapping sparked global outrage and a campaign to #BringBackOurGirls, supported by then-US First Lady Michelle Obama and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. While some of the girls have since been freed or have escaped, others have been forced to marry their abductors, and many remain missing.

The #BringBackOurGirls campaign

The #BringBackOurGirls movement organised several protests and vigils around the world to demand the release of the Chibok girls and all missing schoolchildren. They also offered a cash reward for anyone who could help locate or rescue the girls. The campaign played a crucial role in keeping the issue in the public eye and putting pressure on governments and international organisations to take action.

However, the campaign's notoriety had both positive and negative impacts on the rescue efforts. While it helped to focus global attention on the kidnapping, it also made it more difficult for the girls to escape and increased the number of negotiators involved, complicating the negotiations. Despite these challenges, the #BringBackOurGirls campaign played a significant role in securing the release of some of the Chibok girls.

In the years following the kidnapping, the Nigerian government, with the help of international partners, was able to secure the release of several batches of the Chibok girls through negotiations and military operations. However, as of 2024, about 100 girls were still missing, and the founders of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign expressed concerns that the remaining abductees had been forgotten. The campaign continued to advocate for the release of all the missing girls and provide support to the affected families.

The release of some Chibok girls

On the night of April 14, 2014, 276 mostly Christian female students, aged 16 to 18, were kidnapped by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Nigeria. The kidnapping sparked international outrage, and the #BringBackOurGirls movement was born.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, 57 girls managed to escape by jumping from the trucks in which they were being transported. Others were rescued by the Nigerian Armed Forces or local vigilantes and parents who searched the Sambisa Forest. However, the majority of the girls remained in captivity, where they were beaten, forced to convert to Islam, and made to marry Boko Haram members.

In May 2016, Amina Ali Nkeki, one of the missing girls, was found. She claimed that six of the girls had died, but the remaining girls were still alive. This gave hope that the other girls might be rescued.

In May 2017, 82 girls were released following negotiations between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Swiss government. This came after previous attempts at negotiation had failed. The release of these 82 girls brought the number of remaining captives down to 103.

In October of the same year, 21 more girls were released, along with a child born to one of the captives. This brought the number of remaining captives down further, to 82. The ISIL-allied faction of Boko Haram indicated a willingness to negotiate the release of 83 more girls, but this did not eventuate.

In January 2018, the Nigerian military rescued another captive, bringing the number of remaining captives to 81. As of April 2024, ten years after the kidnapping, approximately 100 girls are still missing.

The ongoing search for the remaining girls

The search for the remaining Chibok schoolgirls continues, with approximately 100 girls still missing as of 2024, a decade after the kidnapping. While there have been no recent negotiations for their release, the Nigerian government has stated that they will not rush to rescue the remaining girls, citing the need for diligent intervention and high-level operations.

The lack of progress in rescuing the remaining girls has been attributed to various factors, including the waning interest of authorities, ongoing mass abductions by militants, and the involvement of multiple negotiators from Nigeria and around the world, which has complicated the process. Additionally, there are concerns that the girls may have been radicalized during their captivity and that they could be used as suicide bombers.

The Bring Back Our Girls movement, founded by Aisha Yesufu and others, has been critical of the government's efforts to rescue the remaining girls. Yesufu has stated that the government tried to suppress the campaign in its early days and then sidelined the group as girls returned. She has also expressed skepticism about the reported negotiations, stating that talks have ended.

The parents of the missing girls continue to hope for their children's return. Lawan Zanna, a civil servant whose daughter Aisha was among the kidnapped girls, has formed a search party with other families and continues to press for the abductees' release. Ladi Yakubu, another parent whose daughter Dorcas was taken, also remains hopeful, saying, "I know my daughter will be back... If God is the one ruling heaven, she will be back."

Despite the challenges and the length of time that has passed, the search for the remaining Chibok schoolgirls persists, with ongoing efforts from the Nigerian government, negotiators, and dedicated activists. The world continues to await the safe return of these girls to their families and communities.

The stigma faced by those who returned

Many of the Chibok girls who returned home after being kidnapped by Boko Haram faced significant stigma and rejection from their communities. They were shunned and stigmatized for becoming victims of the Islamist militants and were often viewed as collaborators with Boko Haram. There was also resentment in some parts of the northeast of Nigeria over the publicity given to the Chibok girls, who were perceived as being favoured over the more than 1,500 other children abducted or killed by Boko Haram and other Islamist militants.

The freed Chibok girls faced suspicion and stigma from their communities, with rumours circulating that they had been raped and had children abandoned in the forest. They were called names such as "Boko Haram wife" and their children were labelled as "Boko Haram babies". The girls and their families had to cope with the trauma and stigma of their experiences, and many of the girls worried that no man would marry them after being with Boko Haram.

The girls who were abducted by Boko Haram and forced to marry their fighters or face sexual slavery experienced further trauma and stigma upon their return. They were rejected by their communities and families, and their children faced an uncertain future due to the importance of lineage in African culture. The girls also faced challenges in reintegrating into their communities and accessing education and other opportunities.

Aid groups and psychologists emphasized the urgent need for support to help the freed Chibok girls reintegrate into their communities and overcome the stigma and trauma they faced. The girls required counselling and other forms of assistance to process their experiences and rebuild their lives. However, the lack of adequate mental health services in Nigeria posed challenges to their recovery.

Despite the worldwide attention and support for the Chibok girls, the fear of stigma and rejection persisted, and some of the girls who were released or escaped chose to remain with Boko Haram rather than face the potential consequences of returning home.

The impact on the families of the abducted girls

The mass abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria, in 2014 had a devastating impact on the families of the abducted girls. The trauma of losing a child, coupled with the uncertainty of their fate, has left many parents in anguish and despair.

Some of the girls who were abducted from Chibok have since been released or have escaped, but as of April 2024, nearly 10 years after the incident, 82 to 98 girls are still missing and believed to be in captivity. The prolonged absence of these girls has caused immeasurable pain and suffering for their families. The parents of the missing girls live with a constant sense of grief and longing, unsure if they will ever see their daughters again. Many have pleaded with the Nigerian government and international organisations to continue their efforts to bring their children home.

The mothers of the abducted girls have expressed their deep sorrow and anguish over the loss of their daughters. They speak of the pain of separation, the uncertainty about their children's fate, and their desperate hope for their safe return. Some mothers have shared their struggles to cope with the trauma, feeling helpless and overwhelmed by the situation. The emotional toll on these mothers has been immense, and their lives have been forever changed by the abduction of their daughters.

The families of the abducted girls have also had to contend with the financial burden of ransoms and the long-term costs of providing for their children upon their return. In some cases, the girls returned with children of their own, born during captivity, adding to the financial strain on the families. The rejection and stigma faced by the girls and their families upon their return have further compounded their struggles.

The impact of the Chibok abduction on the families has been long-lasting and far-reaching. The trauma and loss have disrupted the education and well-being of the surviving girls and their communities. The fear of future attacks and abductions has made parents reluctant to send their children to school, exacerbating the education crisis in Nigeria. The lack of progress in rescuing all the missing girls and bringing those responsible to justice has added to the families' sense of injustice and abandonment.

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