MOSCOW, November 1 (RIA Novosti) - The leader of the Nigerian Islamist rebel group Boko Haram announced that the 219 schoolgirls, who were captured in summer 2014, have been married off and have converted to Islam, AlJazeera reported on Saturday.
“Don't you know that over 200 Chibok schoolgirls have converted to Islam? They have now memorised two chapters of the Koran," Islamist group's leader, Abubakar Shekau said in a statement, cited by France 24. "We have married them off. They are in their marital homes," he added.
According to CNN, 63 girls and women have managed to escape Boko Haram’s captivity and come back to their villages. However, about more than 200 schoolgirls still remain as hostages. At the end of October, the girls’ parents were still entertaining hope that their daughters would soon be set free after the Nigerian government and Boko Haram Islamists reached a cease-fire agreement. However, Shekau’s recent statements and his denial of any armistice reached with Nigerian authorities have squashed any hope for a timely release.
Women and girls abducted by Boko Haram were used in combat operations http://t.co/0t97iDd568 #bringbackourgirls pic.twitter.com/ISHrVEHcaf
— Chime For Change (@ChimeforChange) 27 октября 2014
“We have not made ceasefire with anyone," said Shekau. “We did not negotiate with anyone [...] It's a lie.”
The girls were kidnapped on April, 14 from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok, Nigeria. The incident caused international outrage, resulting in the global #BringBackOurGirls social media campaign.
Dozens more girls abducted by Nigerian extremists http://t.co/oefLmxxUzU #world #BringBackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/ip5hyHR1Nu
— The_News_DIVA (@The_News_DIVA) 27 октября 2014
The initiative, which has been supported by numerous celebrities and political figures such as Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton and the recent Nobel Peace Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai, demanded the return of abducted girls and called on the Nigerian government and Western countries to take decisive steps and intervene. However, numerous attempts of negotiations and the signed ceasefire agreement have been unsuccessful in the release of the kidnapped girls.
@MalalaFund: #Malala stands in solidarity with Nigerians & people everywhere calling for action to #BringBackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/hftSVuVCsP
— Laura (@LauraCifuentes8) 19 мая 2014
