11 Years On, 82 Chibok Girls Still Unaccounted for as Families, BBOG Renew Demand for Action

•Charge FG to release the investigative report on the abduction, roles of key actors

Chiemelie Ezeobi

Following the commemoration of the 11th anniversary since 276 schoolgirls were abducted from Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents with 82 still unaccounted for, the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaign and the affected families, yesterday renewed their demand for action.  

On the night of April 14, 2014, Boko Haram militants attacked the school and forcibly took the students, prompting global outrage and the launch of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

While some of the girls have since been rescued or escaped, 82 remain unaccounted for and the group lamented that despite repeated assurances by successive Nigerian governments, efforts to locate and rescue the remaining girls have made little progress.

To commemorate the anniversary, members of the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy group held a quiet event in Abuja, where they renewed calls for accountability and action from the federal government with hashtags like #NeverForgotten.”

In a statement issued on Twitter by the BBOG spokesperson, Jeff Okoroafor, he outlined several demands, including a comprehensive update to families, the release of an official investigation report, and greater transparency on national security spending.

The group also urged the government to reach out to the families of the 82 missing girls with a status update on rescue efforts and plans for closure, as well as release the Brigadier-General Ibrahim Sabo investigative report on the abduction and disclose the roles of key actors involved.

They further demanded that the government Institute a monthly national security briefing, coordinated by the National Security Adviser and broadcast live for public accountability.

The BBOG also charged the government to publish a financial report detailing national security spending from 2014 to date, including measurable results and impact.

The statement reads in part, “Today marks 11 years since 276 schoolgirls were abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents. While some of the girls have escaped or been rescued, 82 remain missing.

The statement reads in part, “On the night of April 14, 2014, Boko Haram terrorists stormed the school, forcibly taking the girls and sparking one of the most infamous mass kidnappings in modern history.

“Over the past 11 years, the Nigerian government has repeatedly vowed to secure the girls’ freedom. Yet, progress has been agonizingly slow, leaving families in perpetual anguish.

“The Chibok tragedy has since been followed by other mass abductions, including the recent kidnappings in Kaduna and Sokoto, underscoring Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

“The Chibok tragedy is not just a security failure it is a moral crisis and if after 11 years, Nigeria can not rescue schoolgirls stolen under its watch, what does that say about our nation’s commitment to its citizens?

“This anniversary is a painful reminder of Nigeria’s unresolved wounds. We demand urgent, intensified efforts to rescue all remaining captives, provide comprehensive support for survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable.

“Education must never be a death sentence. To the families: Your courage fuels global solidarity. To the missing girls: You are not forgotten. We will not rest until justice is served.”