NIGERIA: 12 YEARS SINCE SCHOOLGIRLS WERE TAKEN FROM CHIBOK

This week is the 12-year anniversary of the Chibok kidnapping, an incident that made headlines worldwide. Whilst many of the 275 girls have since escaped or been released, around 100 remain missing, including Ruth’s daughters. Here, she shares about that fateful day, the immense toll it’s taken on their family, and how you can pray.

“What pains me the most is I don’t know if they are still alive or if they have been killed,” says Ruth. “Others have seen their own children. Had they died, I would have probably moved on by now. I pray to God to show me: let me see them with my own eyes if they are alive, or let me hear that they have died. 

“Her name is Godiya Bitrus and the second girl is Hauwa Bitrus,” she shares. Godiya is her daughter, Hauwa her stepdaughter. 

Image: Ruth holds a photo of Godiya, one of her two daughters kidnapped 12 years ago

Peace gives way to pain 

The girls were taken on 14 April 2014 by Boko Haram militants who arrived at the Government Girls Secondary School (GGCSS) pretending to be government soldiers sent to protect them. Instead, they kidnapped all 275 girls.  

“We started hearing sounds of gunshots before 11pm,” remembers Ruth, who lives in a village near Chibok. “The gunshots persisted and we wondered where they were coming from. 

“When the day broke, I started walking. I walked close to Chibok, when I saw a student from the school – she was running when I called and asked her what happened. She said, ‘I am the only student left in Chibok.’” It later transpired that 47 girls avoided kidnap or managed to escape shortly afterwards.  

“At that moment, I started crying and ran into the bush until I found myself in the Government Girls School. I went there and discovered that fire had razed the entire building. That was when I burst into tears again. 

“One week later, I couldn’t do anything. I was only crying and crying. I couldn’t sleep nor rest. My mouth became tired from crying and my tears dried up. We struggled, but could not get them back.” 

Over the years, Boko Haram has directed their ransom demands for the release of the Chibok girls at the Nigerian federal government. Some have been released, though the details behind their freedom remain unclear. Around 100 are believed to be still missing and most parents, like Ruth, remain in the dark concerning their children’s whereabouts. 

“My prayer request to you” 

On the anniversary of the girls’ kidnap, can you renew your prayers for Ruth and other families desperate for news of their loved ones? 

“My brothers and sisters in Christ, help me in prayer so that I can see my own daughters, just as others have seen theirs,” Ruth asks. “We are requesting your prayers so that we will be able to see our children with our eyes, hear their voices with our ears, and to know that they are still alive. If they are not alive, let them tell us so that we may know, and pray to God for help in this situation. This is my prayer request to you.” 

Open Doors continues to advocate on behalf of the Chibok girls, as well as Leah Sharibu, who also remains missing after she was kidnapped in February 2018. We are asking the international community to urge the Nigerian President to continue his efforts to liberate the hostages held by Boko Haram, including young Christian girls, and to create a government position who will work solely as a family liaison for parents of the hostages.

Act now, by praying using the points below and also signing and sharing the Arise Africa petition to ask world leaders to act to protect vulnerable Christians across sub-Saharan Africa.

*Name changed for security reasons