Gordon Brown Renews Plea For Release Of Chibok Schoolgirls

THE United Nations (UN) envoy and former British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, yesterday appealled to Boko Haram insurgents to free the over 200 Nigerian schoolgirls they abducted last year who have been held for 10 months.

  His appeal came after the reported release this week of women and girls kidnapped by the Islamist group in December.

  Reuters quoted Brown as saying: “Now they have released some hostages, they should release them all,” referring to 158 women and girls taken during a raid on Katarko, who were reported to have been released by the sect on Thursday.

  The abduction of the schoolgirls from a government secondary school in Chibok in Borno State on April 14 last year sparked global outrage and offers of international assistance and a worldwide social media campaign, with the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls.

  But the location of the schoolgirls, most of who are believed to be between the ages of 16 and 18, remains unknown.

  According to Brown, the UN Special Envoy for Global Education: “Boko Haram are piling cruelty upon cruelty by failing to free the girls.” 

  He said there would be no let up in the campaign to locate and free the girls, adding that if they are not released by the first anniversary of their captivity, a vigil will be held at the UN in New York, United States (US) on April 14.