Parents identify daughters in new B’Haram video

Three mothers of schoolgirls abducted from Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014 said they had identified their daughters in a video released by Islamist group Boko Haram, the first possible sighting of the girls since a video in May 2014.



Reuters reported that about 15 girls featured in the video released to local officials on Tuesday, saying they were from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok and pleading with the Nigerian government to cooperate with Boko Haram on their release.

The girls were filmed saying they were being treated well but wanted to go home and be with their families.

Boko Haram militants abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok exactly two years ago, with 57 students managing to escape but 219 still missing despite a global campaign #BringBackOurGirls involving celebrities and the wife of the US President, Michelle Obama.

Reuters reported that mothers Rifkatu Ayuba and Mary Ishaya said they recognised their daughters, Saratu and Hauwa, in the video, while a third mother, Yana Galang, identified five of the missing girls. Local officials said more identifications were needed.

“The girls were looking very, very well,” Galang said in a telephone interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation after viewing the video at a screening organised by local officials in Maiduguri.

The three mothers were invited to the viewing centre by the Chairman of Chibok Local Government Area, Bana Lawan, who confirmed that he had paid their travel costs to Maiduguri.

“They were definitely our daughters … all we want is for the government to bring back our girls,” said Galang, adding all the girls were wearing hijab in the video.

No member of Boko Haram was visible in the video and local officials were not immediately available to give details on how they received the video.

“We only heard a man’s voice and saw his finger pointing at the girls one after the other,” Reuters quoted Galang as saying.

She said the girls in the video spoke in Hausa language and Kibaku, the local Chibok language.

Galang said one mother, Ayuba, was relieved to see her daughter as she had heard a rumour shortly after the kidnapping that her daughter had been killed by Boko Haram.

“She was very happy to see her in the video … her daughter is alive,” Galang said.