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| Boko Haram Storms Girls’ School in Nigeria, Renewing Fears | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| DAKAR, Senegal — Islamist militants stormed into a girls’ school in northern Nigeria this week, and with many girls still unaccounted for, Nigerians feared their country was experiencing a notorious mass abduction like one that drew worldwide condemnation almost four years ago. | DAKAR, Senegal — Islamist militants stormed into a girls’ school in northern Nigeria this week, and with many girls still unaccounted for, Nigerians feared their country was experiencing a notorious mass abduction like one that drew worldwide condemnation almost four years ago. |
| Militants from Boko Haram, the Islamist extremist group behind the earlier kidnappings, raced into the village of Dapchi on Monday in machine-gun mounted trucks and opened fire, witnesses said. As they headed for the Government Girls Science and Technical School, students and teachers fled, some climbing fences to escape. | Militants from Boko Haram, the Islamist extremist group behind the earlier kidnappings, raced into the village of Dapchi on Monday in machine-gun mounted trucks and opened fire, witnesses said. As they headed for the Government Girls Science and Technical School, students and teachers fled, some climbing fences to escape. |
| More than 50 students were still missing, according to state government officials. The local police gave conflicting information to reporters, saying about 100 girls were gone. Late Wednesday, local media outlets reported that the girls had been rescued, but that could not be verified. | More than 50 students were still missing, according to state government officials. The local police gave conflicting information to reporters, saying about 100 girls were gone. Late Wednesday, local media outlets reported that the girls had been rescued, but that could not be verified. |
| During the attack, groups of students ran into the bush and other villages and some headed for their homes on farms far from Dapchi. A few students and residents have told local reporters that some girls were spotted being hauled away by the militants. | During the attack, groups of students ran into the bush and other villages and some headed for their homes on farms far from Dapchi. A few students and residents have told local reporters that some girls were spotted being hauled away by the militants. |
| Mohammed Bilal, an Islamic studies teacher at the school, said the militants arrived about 5:30 p.m. in the village, which until then had escaped the fighting in Northern Nigeria. “The girls were in dorms and I was in my dorm when we heard gunshots and screaming,” he said. “I didn’t see where they were coming from.” | Mohammed Bilal, an Islamic studies teacher at the school, said the militants arrived about 5:30 p.m. in the village, which until then had escaped the fighting in Northern Nigeria. “The girls were in dorms and I was in my dorm when we heard gunshots and screaming,” he said. “I didn’t see where they were coming from.” |
| Mr. Bilal said he had counted nine vehicles — two were land cruisers with machine guns on top — filled with fighters in military uniforms. He ran away with several students and colleagues, he said, but 30 minutes later returned to gather other students to help them flee. | Mr. Bilal said he had counted nine vehicles — two were land cruisers with machine guns on top — filled with fighters in military uniforms. He ran away with several students and colleagues, he said, but 30 minutes later returned to gather other students to help them flee. |
| “We were so afraid, but we didn’t want to leave them,” he said. | “We were so afraid, but we didn’t want to leave them,” he said. |
| Government officials in Yobe State, where Dapchi is, said on Wednesday that they had no credible information that the girls had been taken hostage. They were continuing to receive reports that some girls had been found safe, they said in a statement. | Government officials in Yobe State, where Dapchi is, said on Wednesday that they had no credible information that the girls had been taken hostage. They were continuing to receive reports that some girls had been found safe, they said in a statement. |
| “His Excellency, Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam, is deeply saddened and outraged by the unfortunate event and has directed that all relevant personnel and agencies work closely with the army and other security organizations,” the statement said. | “His Excellency, Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam, is deeply saddened and outraged by the unfortunate event and has directed that all relevant personnel and agencies work closely with the army and other security organizations,” the statement said. |
| Later in the day, President Muhammadu Buhari released his own statement, saying on Twitter that he had directed the military and the police to mobilize to find the missing girls. He said the defense minister would also lead a delegation to Yobe State on Thursday to “ascertain the situation.” | Later in the day, President Muhammadu Buhari released his own statement, saying on Twitter that he had directed the military and the police to mobilize to find the missing girls. He said the defense minister would also lead a delegation to Yobe State on Thursday to “ascertain the situation.” |
| “I share the anguish of all the parents and guardians of the girls that remain unaccounted for,” Mr. Buhari said. “I would like to assure them that we are doing all in our power to ensure the safe return of all the girls.” | “I share the anguish of all the parents and guardians of the girls that remain unaccounted for,” Mr. Buhari said. “I would like to assure them that we are doing all in our power to ensure the safe return of all the girls.” |
| Mr. Bilal said that he and others were able to help about 300 girls climb over the fence around the school’s perimeter. One teacher’s wife miscarried during the attack, and the teacher broke his leg trying to flee, Mr. Bilal said. | Mr. Bilal said that he and others were able to help about 300 girls climb over the fence around the school’s perimeter. One teacher’s wife miscarried during the attack, and the teacher broke his leg trying to flee, Mr. Bilal said. |
| Mr. Bilal said parents had been arriving at the school looking for their daughters. “It’s an awful situation,” he said. | Mr. Bilal said parents had been arriving at the school looking for their daughters. “It’s an awful situation,” he said. |
| Adding to the confusion was the difficulty reaching some families to confirm that their daughters had turned up at home; some live in areas with poor phone networks. The school has closed for the week to assess the situation. | Adding to the confusion was the difficulty reaching some families to confirm that their daughters had turned up at home; some live in areas with poor phone networks. The school has closed for the week to assess the situation. |
| The statement on Wednesday from the Yobe government, more than two days after the attack, was the first time officials remarked publicly about the incident. | The statement on Wednesday from the Yobe government, more than two days after the attack, was the first time officials remarked publicly about the incident. |
| The long silence stoked fears, largely because it echoed a similar lack of communication in the days following what turned out to be the abduction of nearly 300 girls from a secondary school in the village of Chibok, in an adjacent state, in April 2014. | The long silence stoked fears, largely because it echoed a similar lack of communication in the days following what turned out to be the abduction of nearly 300 girls from a secondary school in the village of Chibok, in an adjacent state, in April 2014. |
| That kidnapping spurred a global social media campaign, #BringBackOurGirls. About 100 of those students are still being held hostage. Dozens of schoolboys have been kidnapped or burned alive. | That kidnapping spurred a global social media campaign, #BringBackOurGirls. About 100 of those students are still being held hostage. Dozens of schoolboys have been kidnapped or burned alive. |
| Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, in a tweet, said the situation in Dapchi “should be handled better.” | Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, in a tweet, said the situation in Dapchi “should be handled better.” |
| “I have a terrible sense of Déjà vu,” he wrote. “We can’t allow this to happen again.” | “I have a terrible sense of Déjà vu,” he wrote. “We can’t allow this to happen again.” |
| Oby Ezekwesili, a former education minister and founder of the Bring Back Our Girls organization, which has been fighting for the release of the Chibok students, criticized the government on Twitter, saying that officials had been “ominously mum” about the Dapchi school attack. It took the government two days to release an official statement. | Oby Ezekwesili, a former education minister and founder of the Bring Back Our Girls organization, which has been fighting for the release of the Chibok students, criticized the government on Twitter, saying that officials had been “ominously mum” about the Dapchi school attack. It took the government two days to release an official statement. |
| It took a number of days after the students in Chibok were taken to mount any concerted effort to find them, Ms. Ezekwesili said. The slow response, she said, allowed militants to escape with many young girls. | It took a number of days after the students in Chibok were taken to mount any concerted effort to find them, Ms. Ezekwesili said. The slow response, she said, allowed militants to escape with many young girls. |
| Last year government officials negotiated for the release of about half of the missing students from the Chibok kidnapping. Several others escaped. And this month, officials secured the release of a group of police officers and university professors who were kidnapped by Boko Haram last year. | Last year government officials negotiated for the release of about half of the missing students from the Chibok kidnapping. Several others escaped. And this month, officials secured the release of a group of police officers and university professors who were kidnapped by Boko Haram last year. |
| Several high-level Boko Haram commanders were also released last year as part of a prisoner swap in exchange for hostages, and millions of dollars was paid to militants as ransom. | Several high-level Boko Haram commanders were also released last year as part of a prisoner swap in exchange for hostages, and millions of dollars was paid to militants as ransom. |