10 Years On, “intensify efforts” to Free Remaining Chibok Girls: Nigeria’s Christian Leaders to Government

Jos, 15 April, 2024 / 9:05 PM

Christian leaders in Nigeria are appealing to the government to escalate its efforts to secure the freedom of at least 82 Chibok girls who remain in captivity 10 years after Boko Haram militia abducted them from their school. 

The girls are part of the 276 girls, who, on the night of 14 April 2014, were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok in the Northeastern part of Nigeria’s Benue State.  

In a Sunday April 14 report, the National Director for Education, Youth, and Women Development at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) says the case of Chibok girls “cannot be swept under the carpet, as it represents a horrific tragedy that has left an indelible mark on the nation’s conscience.”

Rev. Ozumba Emmanuel Nicodemus adds, “We cannot remain silent while (these) children remain in captivity, yearning for freedom and reunion with their families.”

“CAN hereby reiterates its unwavering demand for the government to intensify efforts and take decisive action to rescue the remaining children still held hostage,” the official of the entity that includes representatives of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) says.

He appeals to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government “to mobilize all available resources, engage relevant security agencies, and collaborate with international partners to secure the release of the remaining Chibok girls without delay.”

“It is our duty as a nation to ensure their safe return and to bring an end to the anguish and suffering endured by these innocent young girls and their families,” Rev. Ozumba says.

Securing the release of the remaining Chibok girls, he says, “is not only a matter of national importance but also a test of our commitment to upholding the rights and safety of our citizens, particularly the most vulnerable among us.”

“Furthermore, we implore the international community, humanitarian organizations, and well-meaning individuals to join hands with CAN in advocating for the release of the Chibok girls. Together, we can amplify our voices and exert greater pressure on the abductors to bring an end to this prolonged ordeal,” he said. 

The CAN official goes on to express solidarity with the families of the Chibok girls. 

“The trauma experienced by the 276 abducted girls from Nigeria is unimaginable. The pain and anguish felt by their parents, who have endured sleepless nights filled with hopelessness, are deeply felt by CAN,” he says.