President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has ordered new investigations on the abductions of 219 schoolgirls by Islamist terrorists. This is after meeting with the families of the missing girls last Thursday and despite the lack of progress from previous investigations.
Time reports that last April 2014, Boko Haram kidnapped the girls from the northeastern town of Chibok. A social media campaign, #BringBackOurGirls, was launched shortly attracting worldwide attention and exposed the series of abductions perpetuated by Boko Haram. President Buhari, who came into power last May 2015, renewed efforts to find the girls after meeting with the families of the missing girls last Thursday. However, the Time news report said that this was not the first time that the Nigerian President made such a promise. Last April 2015, he promised that he would do everything to bring the girls home.
Bloomberg reports that the investigation will seek to "unravel the remote and immediate circumstances" that led to the abductions. Aside from abductions, Bloomberg reports that the Boko Haram killed thousands of people, 6,644 people in 2014 alone, and displaced 1.5 million during its six-year campaign to establish Islamic law in Nigeria. Boko Haram had been driven out from most of the areas it controlled in northeastern Nigeria when the government launched a counter-offensive against the militants. However, it continues to carry out suicide bombings and raids in Nigeria and its neighboring countries Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
BBC said that the Nigerian government is facing increased criticism because of the lack of progress in locating and recovering the schoolgirls. The government admits that, up until now, it does not know where the girls are or if they are still alibe. President Buhari was quoted as saying the he goes to bed and wakes up everyday "with the Chibok girls in mind." Last December, Buhari said that he was prepared to negotiate with the Boko Haram for the release of the girls which the Islamist terrorist regard as their most valuable captives.
Although Boko Haram has been driven out from most of the areas it controlled in north-eastern Nigeria, it has continued to carry out suicide bombings and raids into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, claims that most of the girls have converted to Islam and had been married off.
