International outcry over missing Nigerian schoolgirls increases.
More than 275 girls remaining missing in Nigeria, kidnapped, reportedly to be sold for a paltry sum of $12 per girl. Abducted from the Chibok Government Girls Secondary School in northeastern Nigeria, at least 53 girls reportedly escaped the mass kidnapping more than three weeks ago, while the remaining are still waiting for rescue. Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram has taken responsibility for the crime.
Families are losing faith that the government is acting to have their daughters returned/ columbian
In a sensational video circulating across social platforms, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vows to continue kidnapping and forcing Christian girls into Islam and subsequently selling them into slavery. In an hour-long video translated by CNN, Shekau says, “I have abducted your girls. There is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell. I will sell women. I sell women.”
The kidnappings have spurred international outrage. Condemning the mass abduction of the 12-15 year-old girls, Canada has offered to provide surveillance equipment to Nigeria to help with the country’s search for the missing schoolgirls. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper called the kidnapping "truly a crime against innocent individuals.” He added, “Obviously there have been discussions between our government authorities in Nigeria, and we're willing to provide a range of assistance, and that offer, of course, remains open.”
The White House announced they were sending a team to Nigeria to help trace the missing girls. President Obama said, “You've got one of the worst regional or local terrorist organizations in Boko Haram in Nigeria, they’ve been killing people ruthlessly for many years now, and we’ve already been seeking greater cooperation with the Nigerians – this may be the event that helps to mobilize the entire international community to finally do something against this horrendous organization that’s perpetrated such a terrible crime.”
While the world is watching horrified, Nigerian government is under fire for doing little to find them. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan made a public statement finally acknowledging the kidnappings for the first time – 21 days following the abductions. He has at last accepted Obama’s offer of assistance in finding the girls.
Bronwyn Bruton, a democracy and governance specialist and deputy director of the Africa Center at Atlantic Council, said, “In recent years, the government's brutal crackdown on Boko Haram members has also resulted in a ‘huge number’ of civilian casualties, and locals do not trust the government or the military. When it's such a communication vacuum between government and locals, it really is a problem.”
Michelle Obama shows support, sharing #BringBackOurGirls/ mashable
Meanwhile social media is abuzz waiting on any news on the girls. The hashtag #BringBackOurGirls has gone viral, tweeted more than a million times. Women’s rights and education activist Malala Yousafzai, American first lady Michelle Obama, and several Hollywood celebs have joined the campaign in support of rescuing the girls.
Featured Image: rack.1.mshcdn
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