Where Are Our Girls?

Chibok school girls abducted by Boko Haram

110 days have passed since the Chibok girls were abducted by Boko Haram militants from their boarding school in Nigeria. Both the international community and local Nigerian government pledged to do all they could to bring back the girls but till now; nothing of material has been done. There is no sign of any of them at all. So, WHERE ARE OUR GIRLS?

Each and every passing second is more than a living nightmare for the girls’ families. Each passing minute, each and every single one of these girls is exposed to such ills as violent rape, physical, emotional and sexual assault, sexual slavery, ‘forced marriages’, unwanted pregnancies, miscarriages due to abuse, risk of contracting all forms of sexually transmitted infections, murder, torture, hunger, lack of proper sanitary-ware and sanitation, brainwashing and indoctrination, risk of developing stockholm syndrome...OH DEAR LORD! All this is happening as the world powers are more concerned about their economic wars in Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Gaza. Nobody seems to care about the girls anymore, that is if they ever did.

The international community which was so seemingly adamant to get the girls back, seems to have been affected by a ‘quiet syndrome’ because they ain’t talking about it anymore. Have you done all you can to help locate the girls? If it were your daughter would you be so silent? The time has come for you to tell us, Where Our Girls Are?

In April, people around the world marched, demonstrated, showed all forms of remorse against the Chibok girls abductions and these gross human right violations. The media was less than eager to report on this issue which was in the interest of the public until they were compelled to do so by members of the public. Yes, there was a lot of coverage of the story for a few days but now it has died out...just how this whole atrocity is about to die out and the girls never to be recovered again.  The media are now instead, focusing on Gaza’s children. Are the Chibok girls of less importance? I beg, Where Are Our Girls?

The United Nations is sitting every other day and Secretary General Ban ki Moon calling for immediate cease fire in the Israel – Gaza conflict again and again. The children of Gaza seem more important than those of Chibok because Mr. Sec. General is not calling for any move to stop Boko Haram. Is the UN not a representative of the girls? Is the UN not a representative of the girls’ parents? Mr. Secretary General, Where Are Our Girls?

Boko Haram has unleashed a reign of terror through bombings, kidnappings and all sorts of other ills in the Nigerian society as well as neighbouring countries. They demand the release of their soldiers from prison in exchange for the girls – like, seriously!!??

Just the other day, two Boko Haram militants were captured and arrested after being found with a 10 year old girl who had a bomb strapped to her body. Are our girls now being used as suicide bombers? Is this a sure sign that more other girl-child abductions are going unreported? The Nigerian government continues to look on since the militants have connections with high officials. Maybe the white colour on your flag which ‘resembled’ peace ought to be changed to black for terror, war and bloodshed. You are not willing to stop these acts of impunity but we continue to ask, Where Are Our Girls?

Cameroonian Vice President’s wife who was kidnapped last Friday by Boko Haram has already been rescued! How easy is it to hide and conceal one person as opposed to 273 girls? Definitely there was some kind of settlement. It’s a pity the Chibok girls don’t have parents in high positions for example politicians and business people otherwise they would be back home by now.

Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan dashed the kidnapped girls’ parents some money equivalent to and in some cases less than US$2000 as a way of ‘consoling’ the bereaved families. He has resorted to the old adage Nigerian style of settling issues – that is bribery. Is the money going to stop the families missing their daughters and sisters? A mother carried her daughter in her womb for nine whole months and was the happiest and proudest when she delivered her into the world. A world full of un-just and in-human people. At birth the mother shed tears of JOY. Three months ago till the daughter comes back home, it will just be tears of SORROW. Mr. President, we want to see some luck as your name suggests, otherwise you have desperately failed us. We eagerly wait for the return of our girls.

We yearn for that day when you will bring back our girls and tell us, ‘Here they are, safe and sound’.