By: Masa Amir

A little more than 2 months ago, specifically on April 14, 2014, 276 girls between the ages of 12 and 17 were abducted from their school hostel in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria, by the militant Islamist group Boko Haram. Founded in 2002, the group claims to work toward establishing a so-called pure Islamic state governed by their extreme understanding of Islamic sharia law. Boko Haram attacks on churches, girls’ schools, and police stations have escalated since 2009, the group appearing to have successfully destabilized parts of the country, as the Nigerian government has declared a state of emergency in three northeastern states, namely Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. The Nigerian government was slow to act following the abductions, leading to protests in Nigeria and international outcry.

Since the kidnap of the Chibok girls, Boko Haram has continued its attacks on schools and villages. On June 9, significantly less attention was paid to the kidnap of 20 women in Borno state, near the town of Chibok, by suspected Boko Haram militants. On June 29, four villages in north-eastern Nigeria were attacked by Boko Haram, who targeted at least one church, the attack resulting in the death of at least 40 civilians.Read