Pretoria - The African Union (AU) has joined the world in condemning the abduction of young girls from the Chibok Government Girls Secondary School, in Borno State, in Nigeria.
“We are extremely concerned that about 230 young girls aged between16-18 were taken from their school on the night of 14th April, 2014, and horrified that eight more girls were abducted on Monday, May 5, 2014 in the same province of Borno,” the office of the AU Commission on Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security said on Monday.
The union called on the Nigerian Government, regional organizations and international community to join forces to urgently and decisively act to bring the children home to their families and protect them from further danger.
The union said the attacks against the liberty of children and targeting schools are prohibited under international law and cannot be justified under any circumstance.
“Schools are and must remain places of safety and security, where children can learn and grow in peace. Girls and young women must be allowed to go to school without fear of violence and unjust treatment and exercise their rightful role as equal citizens of the world.”
The Chibok schoolgirls, aged between 16 and 18, were abducted by their captors last month. The students had been recalled to school in the northern village to write their physics examination.
The girls' abductors tricked them into believing they were being rescued from impending danger.
They, however, became suspicious as they were being moved through the Sambisa forest which shares borders with neighbouring Cameroon.
Nigerian armed group, Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for the abduction.
All of the schools in the area had been closed because of a recent spate of terrorist attacks in which students were the apparent targets.
The actions of Boko Haram have received lots of criticism and disapproval from all over the world, including the sub-regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
While international efforts were underway, about 50 of the girls have so far managed to escape from their abductors.
Two members of the Islamist militant group have been arrested and international efforts were underway to rescue the schoolgirls.
Boko Haram meaning "western education is a sin," since its formation in 2002, has killed about 10 000 people. The group has killed about 1 500 Nigerians since the beginning of this year. – SAnews.gov.za
