Boko Haram Leader Threatens to Sell Kidnapped Nigerian Girls

World Today

The Nigerian Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the abduction of almost 300 girls from their school in the northeastern part of the country last month.
In a newly released, hour-long video, the group’s leader announced plans to sell the teenagers and rants against the education of girls. CCTV’s Nathan King reports.

Boko Haram Leader Threatens to Sell Kidnapped Nigerian Girls

The Nigerian Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the abduction of almost 300 girls from their school in the northeastern part of the country last month. In a newly released, hour-long video, the group's leader announced plans to sell the teenagers and rants against the education of girls. CCTV's Nathan King reports.

The U.S. has designated Nigerian Islamic extremist group Boko Haram as a terrorist organization. But how much influence do they have in the region? To explore this question, CCTV’s Mike Walter is joined by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Senior Fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross on Influence of Boko Haram

The U.S. has designated Boko Haram as a terrorist group. But how much influence do they have in the region? To explore this question, CCTV's Mike Walter is joined by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Senior Fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Nigeria’s commercial capital on Monday (May 5), calling on Nigeria’s government to intensify its search for around 200 school girls whom Islamist militants abducted in the war-ravaged northeast three weeks ago.
The crowd began their march at a popular bus stop in Lagos and later gathered outside the state government house, waving banners and chanting “bring back our girls!”

Hundreds Protest Abduction of Schoolgirls in Nigeria

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Nigeria's commercial capital on Monday (May 5), calling on Nigeria's government to intensify its search for around 200 school girls whom Islamist militants abducted in the war-ravaged northeast three weeks ago.

Ayo Yemisi, chief executive officer of Serendipity House and God’s Wives International said all they want is for Nigeria’s government to act quickly and return the abducted girls to their families.
“What we are here to do is to let the government know that they should declare the identity of the kidnapers and release our daughters. This is not too much an assignment for Nigeria to do and that is why we are here,” she said.

Islamists stormed an all-girl secondary school in the village of Chibok, in Borno state, on April 14, then packed the teenagers, who had been taking exams, onto trucks and disappeared into a remote area along the border with Cameroon.
Charlotte Obidairo, representative for Youth Empowerment and Development Nigeria said they will not relent but will keep protesting until the girls are rescued.

“Well this is the beginning” she said, “We will be coming back again every Monday here, we will be wearing red every day to make sure that everybody remembers the sufferings that these girls are undergoing.”
“I think this is the first step and we will mobilise more and more people,” she added.

The girls’ abductions have been hugely embarrassing for the government ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) for Africa which Nigeria is hosting this week.

The meeting was supposed to focus attention on the growth potential of Africa’s biggest economy but threatens to be overshadowed by the girls and by Nigeria’s mounting security woes.

“We want security to be doubled up in our schools. We want these girls to be rescued with immediate effect. We want them back alive because they are our tomorrow,” a protester shouted through a loud hailer outside the state government house.
In a televised “media chat” late on Sunday (May 4), Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathanpledged that the girls would soon be found and released, but he also admitted he had no idea where they were.

The Islamist militant group Boko Haram claimed responsibility on Monday for the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls during a raid in the village of Chibok in northeast Nigeria last month, the French news agency AFP reported, citing a video it had obtained.

Report compiled with information from Reuters and The Associated Press.