This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/30/million-woman-march-over-nigerian-kidnappings

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
'Million-woman march' over Nigerian kidnappings 'Million-woman march' over Nigerian kidnappings
(4 months later)
Protesters are calling for a "million-woman march" in the Nigerian Protesters are calling for a "million-woman march" in the Nigerian capital on Wednesday over the government's failure to rescue scores of schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamists two weeks ago.
capital on Wednesday over the government's failure to rescue scores of
schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamists two weeks ago.
Angry Nigerian parents lashed out at the government on Tuesday as a local leader claimed the hostages had been sold as wives abroad.Angry Nigerian parents lashed out at the government on Tuesday as a local leader claimed the hostages had been sold as wives abroad.
"May God curse every one of those who has failed to free our "May God curse every one of those who has failed to free our girls," said Enoch Mark, whose daughter and two nieces were among the more than 100 students abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School in the Chibok area of the north-eastern state of Borno.
girls," said Enoch Mark, whose daughter and two nieces were among the The attack was one of the most shocking in Boko Haram's five-year uprising in which thousands of people have been killed across northern and central Nigeria.
more than 100 students abducted from the Government Girls Secondary The outrage that followed the mass abduction has been compounded by disputes over how many girls were seized and criticism of the military's search-and-rescue effort.
School in the Chibok area of the north-eastern state of Borno. Borno officials have said 129 girls were kidnapped when gunmen stormed the school after sundown on 14 April and forced the students – who are between 12 and 17 years old – on to a convoy of trucks. Officials said 52 had since escaped.
The attack was one of the most shocking in Boko Haram's five-year Local people including the school's principal have rejected those numbers, insisting that 230 students were snatched and 187 are still being held hostage.
uprising in which thousands of people have been killed across northern and
central Nigeria.
The outrage that followed the mass abduction has been compounded
by disputes over how many girls were seized and criticism of the
military's search-and-rescue effort.
Borno officials have said 129 girls were kidnapped when gunmen
stormed the school after sundown on 14 April and forced the students –
who are between 12 and 17 years old – on to a convoy of trucks. Officials
said 52 had since escaped.
Local people including the school's principal have rejected those
numbers, insisting that 230 students were snatched and 187 are
still being held hostage.
Mark told AFP that his wife has hardly slept since the attack, lying awake at night "thinking about our daughter".Mark told AFP that his wife has hardly slept since the attack, lying awake at night "thinking about our daughter".
An organisation called Women for Peace and Justice has called for An organisation called Women for Peace and Justice has called for a "million-woman protest march" in the capital, Abuja, on Wednesday to demand that more resources be committed to securing the girls' release.
a "million-woman protest march" in the capital, Abuja, on Wednesday to While the group is unlikely to rally a crowd of that size, support for the movement has been growing on Twitter under the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls.
demand that more resources be committed to securing the girls' release. Pogo Bitrus, leader of a Chibok elders group, told AFP that locals had been tracking the movements of the hostages with the help of "various sources" across the north-east.
While the group is unlikely to rally a crowd of that size, "From the information we received yesterday from Cameroonian border towns our abducted girls were taken ... into Chad and Cameroon," he said.
support for the movement has been growing on Twitter under the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls.
Pogo Bitrus, leader of a Chibok elders group, told AFP that
locals had been tracking the movements of the hostages with the help of
"various sources" across the north-east.
"From the information we received yesterday from Cameroonian
border towns our abducted girls were taken ... into Chad and Cameroon,"
he said.
The girls were then sold as brides to Islamist fighters for 2,000 naira ($12) each, Bitrus said.The girls were then sold as brides to Islamist fighters for 2,000 naira ($12) each, Bitrus said.
There was no independent confirmation of his report and There was no independent confirmation of his report and the defence ministry did not immediately answer calls seeking comment.
the defence ministry did not immediately answer calls seeking comment. Some of the girls who escaped have said the hostages were taken to Borno's Sambisa Forest area where Boko Haram has well-fortified camps.
Some of the girls who escaped have said the hostages were taken Boko Haram's name translates as "western education is forbidden" and it has repeatedly attacked schools during an insurgency aimed at creating a strict Islamic state in mainly Muslim northern Nigeria.
to Borno's Sambisa Forest area where Boko Haram has well-fortified
camps.
Boko Haram's name translates as "western education is forbidden"
and it has repeatedly attacked schools during an insurgency aimed at
creating a strict Islamic state in mainly Muslim northern Nigeria.
The Islamists have set schools on fire, massacred students in their sleep and detonated bombs at university campus churches.The Islamists have set schools on fire, massacred students in their sleep and detonated bombs at university campus churches.
The Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, has faced scathing criticism over the The Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, has faced scathing criticism over the attacks and pressure has mounted since the Chibok kidnappings.
attacks and pressure has mounted since the Chibok kidnappings. Local people have scoured the bushlands of the remote region, pooling money to buy fuel for motorcycles and cars to conduct their own rescue effort, saying they have no confidence in the military's search.
Local people have scoured the bushlands of the remote region, pooling "The free movement of the kidnappers in huge convoys with their captives for two weeks without being traced by the military which claims to be working diligently to free the girls is unbelievable," Bitrus told AFP.
money to buy fuel for motorcycles and cars to conduct their own rescue Nigeria deployed thousands of additional troops to the north-east last year as part of an offensive aimed at crushing Boko Haram but security experts say the military lacks the troops needed to fully cover the region.
effort, saying they have no confidence in the military's search. Dozens of Borno women clad in black staged a protest on Tuesday in front of Nigeria's parliament. Protest leader Naomi Mutah told three senators who received the group that they did not know the whereabouts of the girls, saying some might have crossed over to Chad.
"The free movement of the kidnappers in huge convoys with their
captives for two weeks without being traced by the military which claims
to be working diligently to free the girls is unbelievable," Bitrus
told AFP.
Nigeria deployed
thousands of additional troops to the north-east last year as part of an
offensive aimed at crushing Boko Haram but security experts say the
military lacks the troops needed to fully cover the region.
Dozens of Borno women clad in black staged a protest on Tuesday in front of Nigeria's parliament. Protest leader Naomi Mutah told three senators who received the
group that they did not know the whereabouts of the girls, saying some
might have crossed over to Chad.
"Our grievance is this: for the past two weeks and this is the third week, we have not heard anybody talking to us," said Mutah."Our grievance is this: for the past two weeks and this is the third week, we have not heard anybody talking to us," said Mutah.
"They are suffering in the bush. Let them [authorities] help us to free them," another protester said."They are suffering in the bush. Let them [authorities] help us to free them," another protester said.
In a motion on Tuesday the senate urged the government and security In a motion on Tuesday the senate urged the government and security agencies to seek the co-operation of other countries and the UN security council in the rescue effort.
agencies to seek the co-operation of other countries and the UN security
council in the rescue effort.