Boko Haram terrorism continues in northern Nigeria. The group responsible for kidnapping over 200 schoolgirls in the spring has struck again. On Friday, terrorists bombed a mosque in Kano killing 81 people at prayer. The Boko Haram group is suspected.
The bomb attack on a mosque in Nigeria killed dozens. Why would Islamic militants bomb a mosque? Because they say the Muslims in Nigeria are corrupt. One former governor preaches for people to stand up against these kidnappers, and strike back against this group that enslaves girls. Fridays attack was not the first, last year 40 worshipers were killed in Borno.
Boko Haram is now into suicide bombings, even using females to attack a market, which killed 21 people. A bus station suicide bomber killed 40 people. The Nigerian Army was successful in removing Boko Haram within two weeks after they had claimed Mubi, a large town of 200,000. Civilian vigilantes supported the army, which struggles with leadership, mutinies, and desertion.
It was world-wide news last spring, when the militant group terrorized a community by burning a school, and then kidnapping almost 300 school age children, whom were never to be seen again. One escaped by jumping off the vehicle, driven by the Boko Haram, after they burned out her school. They took the girls deep into the forest. She didn’t know if she would make it, but she did.
Her name is Mercy Paul, and now, she is in America. Ann Curry, from NBC has interviewed the 18 year old with her therapist present. She has made it all the way to a school in Oregon on the west coast, where she is learning English, and hopes to be a doctor. She relayed in the interview that Boko Haram instructed, if they ran, they would kill them. Mercy decided to jump and so did dozens of others.
Boko Haram wants northern Nigeria to be Islamic and keep President Goodluck Jonathan, a southern Christian, from controlling them. He plans to run for re-election in February. Some Nigerian officials believe Boko Haram is like the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
Britian may send military trainers to assist Nigerians and their government to help push back, contain, or restrict these Boko Haram militants. Though, the Nigerian Army did retake the town of Mubi, some feel they are outclassed in operations, capacity, and motivation.
More than 2,500 people, military and civilians, have been killed this year alone. The Red Cross says a million people have fled their homes due to this violence. Many have gone to Cameroon and set up small villages or camps. Economic advancement has been stalled, tourists are not coming, while parks and merchants suffer monetary losses.
But more than 200 schoolgirls remain missing. Boko Haram made a video and blasts that the girls are now Islam converts, being sold to men. The world responded with slogans of bring back our girls, especially, social medias. Michelle Obama has been videotaped in support of the outrage against these tragedies in Nigeria.
A scholarship has been set up at the United States boarding school, where, Mercy Paul, now attends classes and lives. She misses friends, still over there, and prays for their release. She prays for the captors, too, and that they give in to what is right and release the kidnapped girls.
While the struggle continues in Nigeria, and the missing schoolgirls remain unaccounted for, one girl has made it out. It is expected a few of her friends will join her in Oregon. This is good news, and maybe ‘hope’ for the ones still missing.
By Kim Troike
ivorytidepub 
Leave a Reply