This week, Face2Face Africa reported on the abduction of more than 100 girls in Bourno State, Nigeria, by Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram. Now, a group of desperate parents have reportedly gone in to the forest to locate their children, according to the BBC.
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Initially, the Defense of Ministry Spokesman Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade reported that all but eight of the girls had escaped, “The others have been freed this [Wednesday] evening,” he added. Parents and Governor of Bourno State Kashim Shettima, though, stiffly countered that claim, saying that only a few students had indeed escaped.
School Principal Asabe Kwambura echoed this statement, saying those original claims of escapees were “not true,” with only a few more than a dozen actually returning to safety, “Up till now we are still waiting and praying for the safe return of the students…the security people, especially the vigilantes and the well-meaning volunteers of Gwoza are still out searching for them. The military people, too, are in the bush searching.” Kwambura later told NPR, “So let it be clear that all the information passed on to the media by the military concerning 107 girls is not true.”
Of the escapees, according to NPR, four of the students jumped out of the back of a truck, while 10 others escaped when abductors asked them to cook food.
Therefore, a band of parents — along with a “vigilante group” — have reportedly gone in to the Sambisi forest, located near Cameroon, to retrieve their children.
The mission is being described as very dangerous, since Boko Haram is responsible for thousands of civilian deaths by way of slitting throats and are supposedly also responsible for taking more than 70 lives early this week in the Abuja blast.
Still, one courageous Father reportedly told the media that he was willing to die in order to get his daughter back.
Meanwhile, the governor has put out a $300,000 reward for anyone who can help in locating the students, and the police, army, and air force have also been enlisted to help.
Boko Haram is reportedly staging the attacks and causing mayhem because they want their own Islamic state.
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