Abducted Girls To Be Sold By Boko Haram

Abducted Girls To Be Sold By Boko Haram

A videotaped statement was released by the leader of Boko Haram indicating that he will sell over 200 schoolgirls who were abducted around three weeks ago. The Islamic extremist leader, Abubakar Shekau, also claimed responsibility for the mass abduction from a school located in the northeastern part of the country.

He said in the one-hour video statement that he abducted the girls and he will sell them in the market. The video started with fighters shooting automatic rifles in the air.

It remains uncertain when the video was made as a number of the abducted schoolgirls were compelled to marry the abductors. Some were reportedly brought to Chad and Cameroon.

A mediator revealed that Boko Haram is prepared to discuss the ransom of the girls. The mediator, who remained unnamed, also indicated that two girls died due to snakebites while around 20 are sick. The Christians were also compelled to convert.

Nigerian police revealed that the number of abducted girls was over 300 with 276 still in the hands of the abductors. The abduction and failure of the military to save the girls resulted to a national outrage and protests. President Goodluck Jonathan was accused by protestors of insensitivity to the plight of the abducted girls

Reports that first lady Patience Jonathan ordered the arrest of protest leaders fueled the anger. Reports also indicated that the first lady doubted the mass kidnapping and charged that the protest leaders were members of Boko Haram.

Although the arrests were denied by the office of the first lady, Saratu Angus Ndirpaya revealed that she was brought to a police station together with Naomi Mutah Nyadar, a protest leader. She was released immediately but the police continued to detain Nyadar.

President Jonathan revealed that his administration is working on rescuing the abducted girls. A number of escaped girls revealed that their abductors said they were members of Boko Haram.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday May 07 2014, 1:55 AM EST. Ref: USA Today. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0