‘We ‘re not going back!’ Some Abducted Chibok Girls Prefer Staying With Terrorists – Negotiator

Related stories

2027 Election Battle Rages as Gen David Mark Quits PDP, Leads Coalition Against Tinubu

Aregbesola Accepts Appointment as ADC Interim National Secretary By...

Oil Markets Refocus on OPEC as Iran-Israel Conflict Cools

Oil markets are now refocusing on OPEC+ as the...

Russia’s War Economy Faces Imminent Recession

Top Russian economic officials have acknowledged a significant...

Thailand’s PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended over leaked Hun Sen call

Thailand’s constitutional court has suspended the prime minister, Paetongtarn...

2027: Atiku, David Mark, Secondus, Tambuwal, Others Hold Crucial Meeting, Weigh Options

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, alongside former Senate President...

Despite efforts to have them back, some of the schoolgirls, abducted by Boko Haram militants from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014, refused to be part of a group of 82 girls freed at the weekend, one of the negotiators involved in the release said on Monday.

After over three years in captivity, 82 of the schoolgirls were released out of the more than 200 students, who were still in the terrorists’ captivity in exchange  for some detained Boko Haram’s suspects.

In October last year, 21 of the kidnapped girls were released in a deal brokered by Switzerland  and the International Committee of the Red Cross while 113 of the girls are believed to still be with their captors’ terrorists.

A legal practitioner and mediator, Zannah Mustapha, said some of the abducted girls refused to join the train to freedom, fuelling fears that they had been radicalised by the jihadists, and might be afraid, ashamed or even too powerful to return to their old lives.

“Some girls refused to return. I have never talked to one of the girls about their reasons,” said 57-year-old Mustapha, who acted as an intermediary in the latest negotiations between the Nigerian government and Boko Haram, while speaking with Reuters.

“As a mediator, it is not part of my mandate to force them (to return home).”

A Nigerian psychologist, Fatima Akilu, believed that the girls might preferred to identify with their captors instead of embracing freedom.

“They develop Stockholm syndrome, identify with captors and want to remain,” said Akilu, who has run deradicalisation programmes for Boko Haram militants and women abducted by them.

“Some are afraid of what to expect, the unknown. We don’t know how much influence their husbands have in coercing them not to go back,” added Akilu, head of the Neem Foundation, a non-profit group aimed at countering extremism in Nigeria.

Mustapha explained that future talks between the government and the sect would extend beyond the release of the remaining Chibok girls in captivity and focus on negotiating peace in the conflict-hit North-East.

His role as a mediator dates back to 2007, when he founded the Future Prowess Primary School in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State.

When conflict broke out in 2009, the school remained open and was said to have even enrolled those children born to Boko Haram fighters.

He added, “We are not just talking; we are still actively working towards peace.

“Even though we have got (some of) the girls back, I don’t feel we have made much progress. After the (release of) the 21 girls, how many hundreds have been killed by suicide bombings?”

“While Boko Haram may indeed hold out in releasing all of the hostages to maintain some form of leverage, the reality is that the girls have limited value to the sect outside of public relations capital and are likely placing a strain on resources.”

Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa is an experienced, and committed communication, business, administrative, data and research specialist . His deep knowledge of the intersection between communication, business, data, and journalism are quite profound. His passion for professional excellence remains the guiding principle of his work, and in the course of his career spanning sectors such as administration, tourism, business management, communication and journalism, Hamilton has won key awards. He is a delightful writer, researcher and data analyst. He loves team-work, problem-solving, organizational management, communication strategy, and enjoys travelling. He can be reached at: hamilton_68@yahoo.com

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Oil Markets Refocus on OPEC as Iran-Israel Conflict CoolsRussia's War Economy Faces Imminent RecessionThailand’s PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended over leaked Hun Sen call2027: Atiku, David Mark, Secondus, Tambuwal, Others Hold Crucial Meeting, Weigh OptionsRanked: 40 Best Countries in the World, According to PeopleOPEC Tensions Build as Kazakhstan's Oil Production Hits All-Time HighDrama as Lagos Monarch Strips Six Chiefs of Titles Over Labour Party Rally AttendanceAnxieties as Ondo Govt Launches Probe into Akeredolu’s Death, Puts Widow Under ScrutinyTrump Blasts Elon Musk Over Renewed Criticism of US Spending BillIn Saint Lucia, Tinubu Receives Highest National HonourOil Prices Dip as OPEC+ Boosts SupplyRanked: The Biggest Currency Drops So Far in 2025Our Officers Deployed To Maintain Order Not To Prevent PDP NEC Meeting -- PoliceDon't Let Ganduje's Resignation Divide Us, Dalori Appeals To APC NWC Members, OthersAPC To Hold NEC Meeting On July 24
X whatsapp