Another 21 of the 200 girls kidnapped over two years ago by Boko Haram have been released to the custody of Nigeria’s government. The abductions brought about the international #BringBackOurGirls hashtag campaign.
Boko Haram released 21 of the kidnapped schoolgirls from Chibok to Nigeria’s government, various media reported on Thursday.
The group has kidnapped thousands of people, but the mass abduction of 276 schoolgirls in April 2014 brought Boko Haram international attention. Dozens of the girls escaped shortly after their abductions, but until Thursday more than 200 remained missing.
The girls’ parents, community leaders and international rights activists had criticized the government of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari for its failure to free the students. The abductions brought about the international #BringBackOurGirls hashtag campaign and contributed to the downfall of Buhari’s predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan.
In September, Information Minister Lai Mohammed said the government had nearly secured the girls’ release three times but negotiations collapsed. A Boko Haram faction posted a video showing about 50 Chibok girls and offering a new prisoner swap in August.
Freed girls have said many of their fellow hostages had become the forced brides of Boko Haram fighters. Several have been impregnated by them.
