TheCable

Amnesty International says the Nigerian government must do more to secure the release of the Chibok girls and all Boko Haram abductees.

The human rights watchdog said the 1000th anniversary of the abduction provides an opportunity to bring public attention to other less-publicised Boko Haram mass abductions, 41 of which it said it was aware of.

“One thousand days after the chilling abduction of 276 school girls in Chibok, the Nigerian government must redouble its efforts to ensure the release of the girls, and all other victims of mass abduction,” it said.

In a statement released on Sunday, Makmid Kamara, acting country director for Amnesty International Nigeria, urged the insurgents to stop attacks on civilians.

“This terrible anniversary is a chilling reminder not just of the tragic disappearance of the Chibok school girls, but also all other individuals – many of whom are also children – who remain captive in Boko Haram’s hideouts across the country. These abductions and other attacks on civilians, many of which constitute war crimes, must stop,” he said.

“While the Nigerian government is making considerable efforts to recover the 195 Chibok girls still in Boko Haram’s custody, we are concerned that victims of less well-publicised mass abductions have not benefited from comparable efforts to secure their release.”

The group commended the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group for its long campaign for the release of the girls. It also urged the government to provide psychological and medical support to all those who have regained freedom.

“Amnesty International has documented at least 41 other cases of mass abductions by Boko Haram since 2014,” the statement read.

“Many of the attacks committed by the group, including deliberate killing of civilians, rape, destruction of homes, bombing of places of worship, markets and other civilian structures, constitute war crimes and those responsible should be brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty.

“Amnesty International recognises the resilience and determination of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaigners in Nigeria in getting the plight of the Chibok girls on the world’s agenda and for keeping up the pressure on the government by continuing to demand the release of all the girls. Their persistence is notable at a time when the civic space for peaceful protests and gatherings in Nigeria is rapidly shrinking.”

“The people of Nigeria, and indeed the world, are remembering the 1000th day after the Chibok abduction primarily because of the relentless work of Bring Back Our Girls. We hope that the energy of this formidable campaign will be replicated in demands for justice and accountability for crimes committed by all parties to the current conflict in north eastern Nigeria.

“The Nigerian government should also dramatically step up its efforts to ensure the safe release of abductees and provide proper psychological and medical support to those who have already been rescued, released or have escaped captivity.”