Gauri
Student, Study Hall School

On April 14th, the militant group Boko Haram kidnapped 300 schoolgirls, from the Borno state of Nigeria. On 30th April, a local leader claimed that the girls have been sold as wives to Jihadists. But there is no confirmed news on this.
The group did not reveal its objective behind the kidnapping for a long time. On 13th May, the militant group released a video saying; they want Boko Haram prisoners to be freed. Boko Haram’s leader, who appeared separately from the girls, said in the video: “I swear to almighty Allah, you will not see them again until you release our brothers that you have captured.” He had previously threatened to sell the girls into slavery.
The government is currently trying to negotiate with the group, but there has been no further progress, and the group is stuck to its demand of Boko Haram prisoners being freed.
A girl who managed to fled from the Jihadis, fears going to school. She said that the kidnapping was “too terrifying for word.” One of the girls claimed, that more girls could have escaped, had they not been afraid of their captors’ threat to shoot them. The police said that 53 girls had managed to escape and the captors are threatening to sell those still held into slavery.
Amnesty International alleged that Nigerian security officials failed to act on an advance warning about a militant group’s raid on a boarding school that led to the abduction of more than 300 girls. More than 300 girls were initially abducted, with 53 of them escaping later. At least 276 are still missing.
The Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has sought help from foreign powers, including the United States. But Nigeria is not the only country being affected by this militant group. There are many other countries that have been a victim of terrorism by this militant group. France in particular has been a victim of this group. Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is sinful,” has threatened civilians, attacked schools and has also kidnapped citizens of many other countries.
Nigeria and its neighbours on Saturday vowed to work together to combat Boko Haram in what Cameroon’s president Paul Biya described as a declaration of war on the Islamic rebels. Meeting in Paris, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and his counterparts from Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger approved an action plan designed to counter an organization (Boko Haram), blamed for 2,000 deaths this year alone and which has caused global outrage with its abduction of more than 300 schoolgirls.
As for the girls, they are still missing and there has been no further progress on the case. It is a wait and watch situation, and the world unites in condemning this act of kidnapping innocent girls.
The group threatening to sell the innocent girls as slaves is a disgrace to democracy. The girls who managed to escape fear going back to school, and God knows if they will go back to school ever again. This is an unconscionable terror act against the education of innocent schoolgirls.
This is a shameful act indeed, and such a story can make anyone’s blood boil. I feel sorry for the girls and hope that the Nigerian government is able to find the girls as soon as possible.

Vasundhara Rawat
11-D
Study Hall School

‘Boko Haram’ means western education is sin. It is a militant organization based in northeast of Nigeria, north Cameroon and Niger. It was founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002. The organization seeks to establish pure Islamic state rule by sharis. The group is known for attacking Christians, Muslims and government targets as well as for bombing churches, mosques, schools and police stations. The group’s present main leader is Abubakar Shekau. When the government took actions against them deadly clashes with the Nigerian forces killed about 700 people. Under Abubakar Shekau’s leadership the group was involved in many activities which lead to the killing of more than 900 people.
One of the most dreaded and disturbing activities Boko Haram is involved in is the abduction of school girls. The female students were kidnapped form the government secondary school in the town of Chibok. About 300 abducted girls are forced to convert to Islam, to wear knee length hijabs and to recite the Holy Quran. Sarah Lawan, a 19 year old science student ,who managed to escape and spoke to the reporters about the circumstances the girls have to live in. she also told the associated press that more girls could have escaped but they were frightened by their captors threats to shoot them. Nigerian government has agreed to take help from U.S, Britain, Spain, France and China. Boko Haram terrorist network is threatening to sell those who remain in captivity into slavery. Boko haram said it will release the girls when the government agrees to release the militant prisoners. Activists say it’s not the first time such an incident is taking place. Kidnappers are usually never convicted, even when they are caught and arrested. Washington last year put $7 million on the head of Abubakar Shekau. Their also have been reports that some girls have been forced into marriage with their abductors who pay a nominal price of $12.
‘School’, a place all girls dream of going to. In today’s world education for girls is no less than a world war. Is this the 21st century all about? Girls are not objects they too have feelings, they too have rights. Children in Nigeria are afraid of going to school. This way of propagating Islam used by the Boko Haram is unacceptable. Schools in Nigeria afraid of Boko Haram have dropped the western education system and are following their orders. Girls are afraid of going out. It’s like their freedom has been snatched. In the end all I want to say is ‘Bring Back Our Girls’.

Shark Pravartak
Class XII D
Study Hall School

The world today lays its emphasis on helping empower women, getting rid of terrorism and erasing the lines of religion that divide us all. To make a world safe for everyone we know, but what does one do when all these things come together a Terrorist Organization abducting women in the name of religion! Yes, the cruel reality! This is what Nigeria is facing, Over 200 girls abducted by “Boko Haram”(an internationally recognized Islamic Fundamentalist Terrorist organization). Forcing these girls into converting to Islam. The very thought of such a thing spreads a feeling of terrible fear in our minds and hearts, and to actually live in an area facing such a problem is nothing less than standing at the Gates of Hell! Boko Haram came to existence in the early 2002 under the leadership of Mohammad Yusuf in the northern reaches of Nigeria. The group traces its influence from the controversial Islamic Preacher, Mohammad Marwa or as he is popularly known “Maitatsine” who made speeches laden with curses against the Nigerian State. Boko Haram wishes to establish a “pure Islamic rule” state run by the “Sharia Laws” to put an end to the supposed westernization of Nigeria. The fear of Boko Haram rises and the safety of women becomes more and more a matter of grave concern, the Nigerian government has been able to gain no leads, it only brings forward a picture of Nigeria where the government is incompetent and soon the country like so many other African nations will be in a state of another Civil War. International intervention is required now or the consequences will be fatal for all.

After Declaring Independence from United Kingdom in 1960, the people of Nigerian like the people of any other decolonized nation had dreams of a brighter and safer future but it seems an impending doom of continuous conflicts looms over the destiny of Nigeria. It first faced civil war from 1967 to 1970 then the country was taken over by the military and finally in 1999 the country got democratized but only 15 years down the road and we see the country on the brink of another Civil War and this time the issue is not just power but Religion and safety of women.

If the international community does not interfere now, then we look at a very bleak future for Nigeria where women wouldn’t feel even a tiny bit safe for they’ll live in fear of being forced to forsake their freedoms, freedoms that are as natural as breathing to people in countries like U.S.A, India, U.K., a world unsafe for women is a world, walking towards a slow death. A Death That Can Only Be Explained By One Word “EVIL”.