Ten years ago, 276 high school girls were abducted in Nigeria, sparking a worldwide campaign to find them. Sadly, many of them are still missing. Here are their stories.
On the night of April 14-15, 2014, fighters attacked a secondary school in Chibok, Nigeria, and abducted 276 girls. The abduction shocked the world. Despite a global campaign to find them, many girls are still missing.
After the attack, some girls managed to escape, but many others are still being held captive. The girls’ families are still waiting hopefully for their return.
The girls who have been released have told horror stories of their time in captivity. They were forced into marriage and subjected to physical and sexual abuse. Many find it difficult to reintegrate into society due to stigma and shame.
Unfortunately, the Nigerian government has failed to protect schools from further abductions. Since 2014, thousands more children have been abducted from schools in Nigeria.
Despite promises of security, schools remain vulnerable to attack. It is important that the authorities do more to protect children and schools from armed groups.