Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping: Difference between revisions
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A '''mass abduction of schoolgirls''' |
A '''mass abduction of schoolgirls''' occurred at the Government Secondary School in the town of [[Chibok]] in [[Borno State]], [[Nigeria]] on 14 April 2014. It is assumed that the abduction is the work of the Islamist militant group [[Boko Haram]], who are opposed to Western educational values, though no group has yet claimed responsibility.<ref name=GuardApr23>{{cite news |url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/23/200-girls-missing-nigeria-care-sewol-tragedy|title=200 girls are missing in Nigeria – so why doesn't anybody care?|author=Anne Perkins|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|date=23 April 2014|accessdate=23 April 2014}}</ref><ref>Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/04/22/234-girls-kidnapped-from-nigeria-school-parents-say/</ref><ref>Inquisitr, http://www.inquisitr.com/1221805</ref><ref>Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au/world/nigerian-school-principal-says-230-girls-missing-after-abduction-20140423-zqxys.html</ref>. |
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==Background== |
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{{main|Nigerian Sharia conflict}} |
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The insurgent group [[Boko Haram]] is opposed to what they perceive as the "[[Westernization]]" of Nigeria, which they maintain is the root cause of criminal behaviour in the country.<ref name=Telegraph>{{cite news|title=Extremist attack in Nigeria kills 42 at boarding school|first=Damien|last=McElroy|date=6 July 2013|work=Daily Telegraph|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/10163942/Extremist-attack-in-Nigeria-kills-42-at-boarding-school.html|accessdate=3 October 2013}}</ref> Thousands of people have ben killed in attacks perpetrated by the group, and the Nigerian federal government declared a state of emergency in May 2013 in [[Borno State]] in its fight against the insurgency.<ref name=AFP>{{cite news|title=Nigeria school attack claims 42 lives|agency=AFP|work=The Australian|date=6 July 2013|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/nigeria-school-attack-claims-42-lives/story-e6frg6so-1226675417375|accessdate=3 October 2013}}</ref> The resulting crackdown has led to the capture or killing of hundreds of Boko Haram members, with the remainder retreating to mountainous areas from which they have increasingly targeted civilians.<ref name=Newsday>{{cite news|last=Adamu|first=Adamu|last2=Faul|first2=Michelle|title=School attack kills 30 in northeast Nigeria|agency=AP|date=6 June 2013|agency=AP|work=Newsday|url=http://www.newsday.com/news/30-killed-in-school-attack-in-nigeria-1.5638194|accessdate=3 October 2013}}</ref> |
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Since 2010, Boko Haram has targeted schools, killing hundreds of students. A spokesperson for the group said such attacks would continue as long as the Nigerian government continued to interfere with traditional Islamic education. 10,000 children have been unable to attend school as a result of the activities by Boko Haram.<ref name=Telegraph/> |
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The parents of the girls have looked for them in the Sambisa forest, which borders their school. As of 23 April, between 30 and 50 girls have managed to escape.<ref>Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/23/200-girls-missing-nigeria-care-sewol-tragedy</ref><ref>BBC News, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-27101714</ref> |
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Several violent attacks on schools in northeastern Nigeria occurred in the months before the abduction; 59 students were killed in the [[Federal Government College attack]] in February,<ref name=theguardian-article>{{cite news|title=Boko Haram kills 59 children at Nigerian boarding school|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/25/boko-haram-kills-children-boarding-school|accessdate=6 March 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|date=25 February 2014}}</ref> and 44 students had died in the [[Gujba college massacre]] in the previous September.<ref name=Telegraph>{{cite news|title=Extremist attack in Nigeria kills 42 at boarding school|first=Damien|last=McElroy|date=6 July 2013|work=Daily Telegraph|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/10163942/Extremist-attack-in-Nigeria-kills-42-at-boarding-school.html|accessdate=3 October 2013}}</ref> The abduction occurred on the same day as the [[April 2014 Abuja bombing]], in which at least 88 people died.<ref name=GuardApr23/> |
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==Event== |
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| ⚫ | The students had been in school to take a physics exam, other local schools had been closed due to fears over security.<ref name=GuardApr23/> The perpetrators broke into the school in Chibok, and shot guards before abducting around 200 students, though the estimated number of students kidnapped has ranged from 88 to 234.<ref name=GuardApr19>{{cite news |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/19/88-nigerian-schoolgirls-abducted-by-islamic-extremists-still-missing|title=88 Nigerian schoolgirls abducted by Islamic extremists still missing|author=Associated Press|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|date=19 April 2014|accessdate=23 April 2014}}</ref>. The students were taken away in trucks, and may have been taken into the Sambisa forest.<ref name=GuardApr23/> Houses in Chibok were also burnt down in the incident.<ref name=GuardApr23/> |
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A number of the students escaped in two groups, their numbers have ranged from 30 to 50.<ref>BBC News, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-27101714</ref> The whereabouts of the remainder of the students is unknown.<ref name=GuardApr23/> The students parents have looked for them in the forest which borders their school.<ref name=GuardApr19/> |
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==Reaction== |
==Reaction== |
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United Nations Secretary-General [[Ban Ki-moon]] and [[UNICEF]] have condemned the abduction.<ref>United Nations, http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47593#.U1e0XVVdUZM</ref> |
United Nations Secretary-General [[Ban Ki-moon]] and [[UNICEF]] have condemned the abduction.<ref>United Nations, http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47593#.U1e0XVVdUZM</ref> |
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The state governor of Borno visited Chibok eight days after the abduction.<ref name=GuardApr23/> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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Revision as of 22:40, 23 April 2014
A mass abduction of schoolgirls occurred at the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria on 14 April 2014. It is assumed that the abduction is the work of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, who are opposed to Western educational values, though no group has yet claimed responsibility.[1][2][3][4].
Background
The insurgent group Boko Haram is opposed to what they perceive as the "Westernization" of Nigeria, which they maintain is the root cause of criminal behaviour in the country.[5] Thousands of people have ben killed in attacks perpetrated by the group, and the Nigerian federal government declared a state of emergency in May 2013 in Borno State in its fight against the insurgency.[6] The resulting crackdown has led to the capture or killing of hundreds of Boko Haram members, with the remainder retreating to mountainous areas from which they have increasingly targeted civilians.[7]
Since 2010, Boko Haram has targeted schools, killing hundreds of students. A spokesperson for the group said such attacks would continue as long as the Nigerian government continued to interfere with traditional Islamic education. 10,000 children have been unable to attend school as a result of the activities by Boko Haram.[5]
Several violent attacks on schools in northeastern Nigeria occurred in the months before the abduction; 59 students were killed in the Federal Government College attack in February,[8] and 44 students had died in the Gujba college massacre in the previous September.[5] The abduction occurred on the same day as the April 2014 Abuja bombing, in which at least 88 people died.[1]
Event
The students had been in school to take a physics exam, other local schools had been closed due to fears over security.[1] The perpetrators broke into the school in Chibok, and shot guards before abducting around 200 students, though the estimated number of students kidnapped has ranged from 88 to 234.[9]. The students were taken away in trucks, and may have been taken into the Sambisa forest.[1] Houses in Chibok were also burnt down in the incident.[1]
A number of the students escaped in two groups, their numbers have ranged from 30 to 50.[10] The whereabouts of the remainder of the students is unknown.[1] The students parents have looked for them in the forest which borders their school.[9]
Reaction
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UNICEF have condemned the abduction.[11]
The state governor of Borno visited Chibok eight days after the abduction.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Anne Perkins (23 April 2014). "200 girls are missing in Nigeria – so why doesn't anybody care?". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/04/22/234-girls-kidnapped-from-nigeria-school-parents-say/
- ^ Inquisitr, http://www.inquisitr.com/1221805
- ^ Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au/world/nigerian-school-principal-says-230-girls-missing-after-abduction-20140423-zqxys.html
- ^ a b c McElroy, Damien (6 July 2013). "Extremist attack in Nigeria kills 42 at boarding school". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
- ^ "Nigeria school attack claims 42 lives". The Australian. AFP. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
- ^ Adamu, Adamu; Faul, Michelle (6 June 2013). "School attack kills 30 in northeast Nigeria". Newsday. AP. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
- ^ "Boko Haram kills 59 children at Nigerian boarding school". The Guardian. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- ^ a b Associated Press (19 April 2014). "88 Nigerian schoolgirls abducted by Islamic extremists still missing". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ BBC News, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-27101714
- ^ United Nations, http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47593#.U1e0XVVdUZM