The kidnapping by militants of the 276 teenage girls in Chibok in 2014 was the start of a sad chapter for Nigeria. After months in captivity, 21 girls were released in October. But most are still missing. Are they slaves, spies, or lost forever?
Maryam Ali Maiyanga is happy to be reunited with her family. It was a tearful reunion in October 2016. She was among the 276 girls that Boko Haram militants abducted from a government school in Chibok in northeastern Borno State, Nigeria, in April 2014, sparking a worldwide plea for their rescue and the social media movement and Twitter campaign #BringBackOurGirls.
Things have significantly changed for Maiyanga since that unfortunate night. As she holds her 10-month-old son, it is apparent that life will never be the same again for her.
“I am happy to be alive and reunited with my family. For the families of my sisters still missing, don’t lose hope, they will also be found,” says Maiyanga via a translator over the phone in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Her discovery comes after 21 of the abducted girls were freed following negotiations brokered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the government of Switzerland.
Boko Haram, colloquially translated to “Western education is forbidden”, has claimed over 15,000 people and displaced some two million over the past seven years as part of its bid to establish an Islamic state in the north, according to Reuters. Its eradication was one of the main cornerstones of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s election campaign in 2015.
This story is from the December 2016-January 2017 edition of Forbes Woman Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2016-January 2017 edition of Forbes Woman Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Wives. Widows. Survivors.
The widows of Marikana. Different faces. The same setting. The same inconsolable fate. The same seething anger at the cops who killed their men and changed their lives forever.
This Could Be You!
One in four South African employees are diagnosed with depression annually. There are ways you can seek help while your identity is protected by law..
The Top 7 Investment Trends For 2019
Most people give up on their resolutions by mid February. As we usher in March, a reminder that it’s never too late for investment goals.
Apps To Cure The Mind
Mental health issues affect us all, but are seldom discussed. Thankfully, technology can now act as a medium to bypass the stigma associated with seeking help.
Working With Cancer
After battling months of treatment, cancer survivors often find a bigger struggle waiting for them when they return to work – the apathy of employers to reintegrate them into the system.
A Growing Trend
Africa’s multi-billion dollar hair care industry is seeing more indigenous brands and consumers rooting for the natural look. Also in existence – a ‘hair mafia’.
One For The Red Carpet
The small-town designer dressing up the rich and famous.
‘I Call It A Hustle'
The first black South African woman to compete at Wimbledon, wheelchair tennis player Kgothatso Montjane is a fighter, both on and off the court.
Gender Parity Will Come Sooner
The Managing Director of the ABN Group, Roberta Naicker, is Top Businesswoman of the Year at the 2018 Standard Bank Top Women Awards.
Deals, Dollars And Development
The first-ever Africa Investment Forum was a resounding success with some fascinating math: 49 projects worth $38.7 billion over three days, all for the continent.
