A shocking report has surfaced, ten years after 276 girls from Chibok Girls Secondary School in Borno were kidnapped; it reveals that the 21 girls that were freed had 34 children between them.
The report issued by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) to mark the abduction’s tenth anniversary this past weekend states that this was a horrifying affirmation of the forced marriages and sexual abuse the girls experienced while their captivity.
According to the investigation, 48 of the victims’ parents may have passed away after the girls were abducted. Survivors and their families also experienced extensive psychological trauma, which resulted in health problems and obstacles to employment and education.
During the report’s virtual presentation, MMF Chief Executive Officer Dr. Aisha Muhammad-Oyebode said the Foundation had put forth ten main recommendations that call on the federal government and the international community to work together to deliver on and go above and beyond the following priority areas.
This includes tighter security measures, community empowerment initiatives, education programmes, legal reforms, clear communication, development assistance and humanitarian aid, programmes empowering women, early warning systems for security threats, and psychological support services in high-risk areas.
Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode states:
“Very little has changed on the ground in Nigeria where kidnapping is still prevalent, if not worse than a decade ago, in the ten years since the Chibok kidnapping caused global outrage.
“We implore the Nigerian government and the international community to take decisive action to address the root causes of conflict, extremism, and violence against women and girls, which include pervasive poverty, unstable conditions, and a lack of economic opportunities, since the country’s kidnapping epidemic is showing no signs of abating.
“According to the report, 91 of the 276 schoolgirls are still missing.”
The investigation also disclosed that twenty-one of the Chibok girls who were set free returned with thirty-four children, a devastating testament to the forced marriages and sexual abuse they had to face while in captivity.
“Other significant discoveries comprised:
● Fifty-seven schoolgirls managed to flee by leaping off Boko Haram trucks in 2014.
● Since then, 128 girls have been located in adjacent Cameroon, traded in deals with Boko Haram, or saved between 2016 and 2023.
Crime Channel
