Missing Chibok girl rescued after decade in captivity

In a significant development, Nigerian troops have successfully rescued another of the missing Chibok girls, a full decade after Boko Haram abducted over 270 schoolgirls from their school in the northeastern region.

Despite the passage of time, nearly 100 of the girls abducted from the Chibok district’s secondary school remain either captive or missing, underscoring the enduring impact of this tragic incident that sparked global outcry.

The Nigerian army disclosed on Thursday that Lydia Simon, along with her three children, was rescued in the Gwoza district of northeastern Borno State.

Remarkably, Lydia, who was five months pregnant at the time of her rescue, hails from Pemi Town in Chibok, according to army sources.

Since the harrowing abduction in 2014, the Nigerian army has undertaken rescue missions resulting in the liberation of several Chibok women, many of whom were forcibly married off by their captors and returned with children.

The military’s efforts have led to the recapture of substantial territories once controlled by Boko Haram, whose strength has been further diminished by internal conflicts with its more prominent rival, Islamic State West Africa Province.

Despite these gains, militants continue to perpetrate attacks and abductions in remote regions and on convoys traveling outside towns protected by army outposts.

The protracted conflict in northeastern Nigeria, which commenced in 2009, has exacted a heavy toll, with over 40,000 lives lost and more than two million people displaced.

Mass abductions, such as the one in Chibok, remain a grave concern across Nigeria, with criminal kidnapping gangs frequently targeting schools to abduct students for ransom.

According to data from the charity Save the Children, more than 1,680 pupils were abducted from Nigerian schools between early 2014 and the close of 2022, highlighting the urgent need for robust security measures and concerted efforts to safeguard vulnerable populations.

Just last month, gunmen seized over 130 children from their school in northwest Kaduna state, marking one of the largest abductions in recent years.

Fortunately, Nigeria’s army swiftly mobilized to rescue all the abducted pupils a few weeks later in neighboring Zamfara State, though specific details about the operation were not disclosed.

These incidents underscore the ongoing threat posed by armed groups in Nigeria and the critical imperative to prioritize the safety and protection of civilians, particularly vulnerable children, in conflict-affected regions.

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