300 days after, Malala calls for urgent action to rescue missing girls

monjola sotubo

February 9, 2015 12:57 PM

The Nobel Peace Prize winner made the plea on Sunday, February 8, the 300 day since the girls went missing from their school in Chibok, Borno State.

Child rights activist, Malala Yousafzai has called for urgent global action to rescue the over 200 Nigerian girls who were abducted by Boko Haram in April 2014.

“As we mark this tragic 300th day of captivity for hundreds of kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls, I call on people everywhere to join me in demanding urgent action to free these heroic girls,” Malala said.

The mass abduction generated outrage all around the world leading to the creation of the hashtag "#BringBackOurGirls".

However despite continued protests by the #BringBackOurGirls group and several calls made for the Nigerian government to rescue the missing children, including a visit by Malala herself, they remain in captivity.

Malala said further that the government in Abuja and the international community “can and must do much more to resolve this crisis and change their weak response to date”.

“If these girls were the children of politically or financially powerful parents, much more would be done to free them. But they come from an impoverished area of northeast Nigeria and sadly, little has changed since they were kidnapped,” she added.

“Let’s end this horrible saga now. Leaders must make sure the #BringBackOurGirls effort results in a real outcome: the return of the Chibok girls,” Malala continued.

US President Barack Obama, when asked during a recent interview what more could be done to rescue the girls and stop Boko Haram, stated that the Nigerian government has not been effective enough in tackling the situation.

monjola sotubo