Ten years after the abduction of 276 girls of Chibok Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno, a damning report has revealed the 21 released girls came with 34 children.
This, according to the report released by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) to commemorate the 10th year anniversary of the abduction at the weekend, served as a devastating confirmation of the sexual violence and coerced marriages the girls endured while in captivity.
The report hinted that 48 parents of the abducted victims have died since the girls were kidnapped with widespread psychological trauma for survivors and their families, leading to health issues and barriers to work and education.
The Chief Executive Officer of the MMF, Dr. Aisha Muhammad-Oyebode in the virtual presentation of the report stated the Foundation has set out 10 key recommendations that urge the Federal Government and the international community to collaborate on the delivery on and beyond the following priority areas.
This includes enhanced security measures; community empowerment programmes; psychological support services in danger zones; education initiatives; legal reforms; transparent communication; humanitarian aid and development assistance; women’s empowerment programmes, and early warning systems for security threats.
According to Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode:
“In the ten years since the Chibok kidnapping caused global outrage, very little has changed on the ground in Nigeria where kidnapping is still as prevalent, if not worse than a decade ago.
“As Nigeria’s kidnapping epidemic shows no signs of slowing, we urge the Nigerian authorities and the international community to take concrete steps to address the underlying drivers of conflict, extremism, and violence against women and girls, which include widespread poverty, instability, and a lack of economic opportunities.
“The report found that 91 out of the 276 schoolgirls remain unaccounted for.
“The report also revealed that 21 of the Chibok girls who were released returned with 34 children, serving as a devasting confirmation of the sexual violence and coerced marriages they endured while in captivity.
“Other key findings included:
● In 2014, 57 schoolgirls escaped by jumping off the Boko Haram trucks.
● Between 2016 and 2023, 128 girls have since been rescued, exchanged in deals with Boko Haram or found in countries including neighbouring Cameroon after escaping.