On April 14th, 234 Nigerian schoolgirls were abducted from their boarding school by Islamic extremist group Boko Haram and reportedly sold as brides for $12 each. No matter how loud the global outcry, the media stuck with the deliciously-scandalous Donald Sterling saga (and several others) rather than cover this horrific story. Sadly, this is our reality in scandal-obsessed America where stories like this are buried in favor of juicy, tabloid-friendly drama.
Hit the jump for ten burning questions (and photos) about the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls.
How did this happen?
Boko Haram gunman killed the soldier and police officer guarding the school and abducted the girls after an earlier bombing that killed 75 in the region. For years, Islamic insurgents have terrorized Chibok and murdered over 1,500 people this year alone without much resistance from a weak Nigerian military.
Why isn’t the media covering this?
The mainstream media proved yet again that missing brown girls aren’t very newsworthy (See: Relisha Rudd, Teleka Patrick and several others) and devoted nonstop coverage to the Donald Sterling saga which is both sad and predictable.
Were the abducted girls really converted to Islam and sold as brides?
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a video warning that all girls in the region should drop out of school to get married.
“In Islam, it is allowed to take infidel women as slaves,” he said. “In due course, we will start taking women away.”
Reports that abducted girls are being sold as brides to Islamist militants for 2,000 naira ($12) in Chad and Cameroon are swirling but these are merely just unconfirmed reports.
Why is the Nigerian Government moving so slow?
Nigeria’s embattled Government is currently under fire for its failure to find promising leads and provide accurate information after 16 critical days. So far, 53 of the kidnapped girls have escaped without the help of a woefully-inept military that’s provided more excuses than rescued girls.
Why did the Nigerian military LIE about rescuing majority of girls?
Nigeria’s defense ministry reported that most of the girls were freed before retracting the statement and sparking global outrage. The Director of Defense Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade said the initial report was “not intended to deceive the public” but many in the region believe the Government is playing politics.
Frustrated with few options left, relatives of the missing girls have launched their own searches by riding motorcycles deep into the surrounding forests.
Is the White House monitoring the situation?
No official statement from President Obama or the White House on the kidnapped schoolgirls has been released.
What happened to all the activists and why have they been so quiet?
Not sure why Black Twitter was late to this story (zero mainstream media coverage? Distracted by Donald Sterling saga?) but the #BringBackOurGirls movement is slowly but surely picking up.
Are there any marches or rallies being organized?
There are several including the one featured above. Check the #BringBackOurGirls hasgtag for more.
How can you help?
You can sign the #BringBackOurGirls petition and actively help raise awareness on social media with the hashtag.
Have any high-profile celebs co-signed the #BringBackOurGirls movement?
Several, actually.
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