News / Thoughts

Second Chibok girl freed…

Nigeria’s army says that it has rescued a second Chibok schoolgirl, two days after rescuing Amina Ali Nkeki, 19, the first of the 219 kidnapped girls to be found alive.

219 girls were taken from their school over two years ago by fighters from the Islamic militant group, Boko Haram. Some managed to escape in the first few days, but the majority remain missing.

“We are glad to state that among those rescued is a girl believed to be one of the Chibok Government Secondary School girls that were abducted on 14 April 2014 by the Boko Haram terrorists,” said a statement issued by Acting Director of Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman.

Serah Luka is believed to be the daughter of a pastor, says the statement, and is currently receiving medical attention at the medical facility of Abogo Largema Cantonment in Biu, Borno state.

But parents of the kidnapped Chibok girls and the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group have not been able to confirm the information.

97 other women and children held captive by Boko Haram were also rescued during the operation, near Shettima Aboh in the Damboa Local Government Area of Borno. Recent military operations by Nigerian forces have led to territorial gains and paved the way for reconstruction efforts.

But for hundreds of women and girls kidnapped by Boko Haram militants, their ordeal did not end when they escaped, nor when Nigerian soldiers rescued them and reunited them with their families.

Instead of being admired for their bravery, many have become outcasts in their communities, stigmatised due to their perceived association with Boko Haram, reports humanitarian news agency IRIN. They not only have to deal with the trauma of abuse and captivity, but also being considered as potential Boko Haram fighters, or sympathisers.

Source: World Watch Monitor

Pray now…

• Ask God to help heal all those who have been freed in the last few weeks. Pray they would be able to be free from the pain and trauma of abuse and being help captive.
• Pray that the communities these women and children return to would welcome and accept them, and that communities would actively look to be part of the healing process.
• Pray for the remaining Chibok girls. Ask for strength, courage and boldness. Pray they too would soon know freedom and be able to return to their families.