{UAH} Kidnapped Schoolgirls Released in Nigeria

Kidnapped Schoolgirls Released in Nigeria

May 07, 2021  /  Shriya Chitale

The young girls were released from the kidnapping. Photo: The New York Times

In March 2021, several Nigerian schoolgirls were kidnapped from their boarding school. This attack was part of a recent string of crimes specifically targeting women obtaining an education. In Nigeria, terrorist groups have found fault with young girls attending school, and due to the country's crumbling infrastructure, the government has been unable to deal with these types of attacks. The result is that several young women are victimized every single day.

The girls were taken from Jangebe, a town in the state of Zamfara. The frequency of kidnappings in the northwestern state of Zamfara and other states in the region has increased significantly due to the fact that economic hardship, in conjunction with terror activity, has pushed many citizens towards kidnapping children for money. The victims of choice are often children as parents are more likely to sacrifice money for the family.

Amiru Malan was the father of one of the kidnapped girls. According to Malan, whose home is a short distance from his daughter's boarding school, armed groups had been patrolling the area for months. However, Malan stated that he felt helpless in the face of their brutality. Still, he attempted to contact individuals in the area and even "friends and relatives within the neighborhood." 

A police officer protects the women. Photo: Council on Foreign Relations

The gunmen had released several videos of the young girls to request monetary payment. The videos were incredibly graphic, with images of the girls being whipped by the perpetrators. 

However, the young girls were recently released from captivity. According to the governor of Zamfara, no governmental action was taken in order to secure the release of the girls; rather, the gunmen simply released the girls without any prompting. 

However, it is likely that the government had paid a ransom to the kidnappers due to the fact that there was both domestic and international pressure to rescue the young girls. The Pope, the UN Ambassador to the United States, and the President of Nigeria have all publicly spoken about the incident. According to intelligence areas in the region, the international attention significantly pressurized the gunmen to release the women.

In order to reduce the amount of kidnappings, it is necessary for the government to adopt a far more comprehensive approach. It must invest more money in effective police services and reduce corruption. Additionally, the government must restore prosperity to the region.

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