Twelve years after the mass abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State, families of the victims have renewed their appeal to the Nigerian government, the United Nations, and the international community to intensify efforts to locate those still missing.
In an open letter released on Monday, signed by Yana Galang and Zanna Lawan on behalf of the Parents of the Still Missing Chibok Girls, the families said 87 of the abducted girls remain unaccounted for more than a decade after their disappearance.
The parents described the situation as an ongoing tragedy rather than a closed chapter, stressing that the passage of time has done little to ease their pain or resolve the uncertainty surrounding the fate of their daughters.
“For the families, this is not a past tragedy but an ongoing reality,” the statement read, adding that “the passage of time has not lessened the uncertainty faced by those still waiting for answers.”
The abduction occurred on April 14, 2014, when Boko Haram militants stormed the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, and kidnapped 276 students, triggering global outrage and the widespread #BringBackOurGirls campaign.
Since then, some of the girls have been rescued or managed to escape captivity through military operations and negotiated releases. However, a significant number remain missing despite years of search efforts and official assurances.
The parents urged authorities to strengthen ongoing rescue operations and ensure accountability in the handling of the case, warning against allowing the tragedy to fade from national and international attention.
They also called on global partners to maintain pressure and engagement, describing the issue as “not only a national matter but a test of global resolve.”
“This is not only a national issue but a test of global resolve,” the letter stated, while insisting that responsibility to act does not diminish with time.
The families further cautioned against turning the abduction into a symbolic reference without achieving full resolution, stressing that the matter remains open until all the missing girls are accounted for.
The Federal Government has consistently maintained that efforts to rescue remaining victims of insurgency-related abductions in the North-East remain a priority, alongside broader counterterrorism operations in the region.
As of the latest update, 87 of the original Chibok schoolgirls are still believed to be missing, leaving families continuing their long wait for closure.
