A community leader involved in the negotiations to obtain the release of the Chibok schoolgirls has said more than 100 of the girls are unwilling to return home. After 21 of the girls were released last week, the Federal Government is negotiating the release of another 83. But Pogu Bitrus, Chairman of the Chibok Development Association, said more than 100 others appeared unwilling to leave their captors, according to a report published by The Mail online. He was quoted as saying that they were ashamed to return home because they were forced to marry extremists and have their babies. According to Bitrus, the freed girls told their parents they were separated into two groups early on in their captivity and given the choice of joining the extremists and embracing Islam, or becoming their slaves. The latter group - made up of 104 girls - never saw their classmates again. Mr. Bitrus said they were used as domestic workers and porters but were not sexually abused. That group contains the 21 who were released last week and the 83 who the government said it is negotiating over. He said the 21 girls freed last week might have to be educated abroad because of the stigma they will face in Nigeria, adding that six more died during their 30-month captivity, according to the girls. The chairman said many of those who escaped two years ago were taunted as 'Boko Haram wives' by people in Chibok and had moved away. At least 20 were being educated in the United States. "We would prefer they are taken away from the community and this country because the stigmatisation is going to affect them for the rest of their lives. "Even someone believed to have been abused by Boko Haram would be seen in a bad light," he said. One Chibok girl, Amina Ali Nkeki, escaped in May this year. Yakubu Nkeki, Chairman of the Chibok Parents' Association, said Amina has been reunited with the 21 freed girls, who were still being treated by doctors, psychologists and trauma counselors at a hospital in Abuja.
Posted via Festechvibes panels.
16_10
100chibok school girls not ready to leave boko-haram captors
Related Posts:
Poverty rate on decline100m out of extreme povertyGlobal extreme poverty has continued to fall rapidly, the World bank has said.According to the inaugural edition of its Pov… Read More
Pensioners demand blueprint on planned airport concessionThe National Union of Pensioners (NUP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch, has challenged the Minister of State (Aviation), Senator … Read More
Oil price hits 50dollars as OPEC deals nears realityOil prices rose to the highest since August and traded above $50 a barrel yesterday, following optimism surrounding the new oil production deal by the… Read More
NNPC laments low oil production The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has expressed its readiness to partner with stakeholders in oil and gas to grow the nation's fast d… Read More
Obiano's wife seek women empowerment The wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano has called for the adoption of a pan-African approach to women empowerment to boost… Read More
0 comments:
Post a Comment
JOIN THE DISCUSSION