Zirra Banu, World Report News, 27 August 2015. Lagos, Nigeria -- Five hundred days after April 14, 2014, when the terrorist group Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls from their school in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria, Nigerians march in solidarity against the abduction. Since then, over two hundred schoolgirls still remain missing. In commemoration of this, and to compel the government to greater responsiveness, the advocacy group Bring Back Our Girls has declared a “Global Week of Action” to free the girls. These peaceful protests culminated in a candlelight observance and speeches from the Chief Imam of Apo Mosque, Abuja and the Cardinal Archbishop of Abuja.
The week of action has included several marches in the capital city, Abuja and in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Ibadan, amongst other states of the country. It has also included meetings with the Nigerian government, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, and other local and international organizations.
The abduction sparked global outrage when Nigerians took to Twitter and social media, demanding that the government recapture the girls from the terrorists. By April 23, the hash tag Bring Back Our Girls sparked collective protests from Nigerian citizens on the web, drawing the attention of international supporters including US First Lady Michelle Obama, US presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton, and international activist Malala Yusufzai.
In order to put pressure on the government, the Bring Back Our Girls movement organized peaceful marches throughout various cities in Nigeria. International chapters of the campaign also mounted worldwide pressure. Goodluck Jonathan, then president of Nigeria and commander-in chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, “vowed” to rescue the girls. After losing elections in April 2015, Jonathan was replaced by Muhammadu Buhari, a former military leader. After moving the Military Command and Control Centre to northeastern Nigeria, the fortress of the terrorist organization, President Buhari ordered the Nigerian Military to retrieve the girls within three months. Within the wake of these changes, Nigeria marks 500 days since 276 schoolgirls were abducted from their hometown.
The week of action has included several marches in the capital city, Abuja and in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Ibadan, amongst other states of the country. It has also included meetings with the Nigerian government, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, and other local and international organizations.
The abduction sparked global outrage when Nigerians took to Twitter and social media, demanding that the government recapture the girls from the terrorists. By April 23, the hash tag Bring Back Our Girls sparked collective protests from Nigerian citizens on the web, drawing the attention of international supporters including US First Lady Michelle Obama, US presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton, and international activist Malala Yusufzai.
In order to put pressure on the government, the Bring Back Our Girls movement organized peaceful marches throughout various cities in Nigeria. International chapters of the campaign also mounted worldwide pressure. Goodluck Jonathan, then president of Nigeria and commander-in chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, “vowed” to rescue the girls. After losing elections in April 2015, Jonathan was replaced by Muhammadu Buhari, a former military leader. After moving the Military Command and Control Centre to northeastern Nigeria, the fortress of the terrorist organization, President Buhari ordered the Nigerian Military to retrieve the girls within three months. Within the wake of these changes, Nigeria marks 500 days since 276 schoolgirls were abducted from their hometown.
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