by Isha Sesay
Almost three weeks went by before: “Nigeria missing girls: President makes first comments,” BBC News, May 4, 2014, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27280187.
Naina Bajekal, “Inside the Search for the Chibok Schoolgirls Abducted by Boko Haram,” Time Magazine, April 23, 2015, http://time.com/3833024/chibok-boko-haram.
the historic tensions that beset: Alexander Thurston, “Divinely Divided: How Christianity and Islam Coexist in Nigeria,” Council on Foreign Relations, June 21, 2018, https://www.cfr.org/event/divinely-divided-how-christianity-and-islam-coexist-nigeria.
Moses Ochonu, “The roots of Nigeria’s religious and ethnic conflict,” Public Radio International, March 10, 2014, https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-03-10/roots-nigerias-religious-and-ethnic-conflict.
Tolu Ogunlesi, “Nigeria’s Internal Struggles,” New York Times, March 23, 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/opinion/nigerias-internal-struggles.html.
Shobana Shankar, “The complicated politics of conversion in Northern Nigeria,” Africa Is A Country, May 2014, https://africasacountry.com/2014/05/the-complicated-politics-of-conversion-in-northern-nigeria.
the nation’s powerbrokers reached a critical agreement: Max Siollun, “The Gentleman’s Agreement That Could Break Apart Nigeria,” Foreign Policy, June 1, 2017, https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/06/01/the-gentlemans-agreement-that-could-break-apart-nigeria-buhari-health-rumors.
Walter Mead, “Religious Conflict in Nigeria: Religion and the Nigerian Elections- Session 1,” Council on Foreign Relations, May 8, 2007, https://www.cfr.org/event/religious-conflict-nigeria-religion-and-nigerian-elections-session-1.
CHAPTER 10
she addressed an audience gathered to honor UNESCO’s selection of the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt as the World Book Capital: Brian Ries, “Bring Back Our Girls: Why the World Is Finally Talking About Nigeria’s Kidnapped Students,” Mashable, May 6, 2014, https://mashable.com/2014/05/06/nigeria-girls-bringbackourgirls/#Gqu6hzeddiqE.
impassioned remarks also struck Ibrahim M. Abdullahi: Nnenna Ibeh, “INTERVIEW: Meet the man who generated #BringBackOurGirls hashtag,” Premium Times, June 14, 2014, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/162803-interview-meet-man-generated-bringbackourgirls-hashtag.html.
social media analytics firm Topsy: Miranda Neubauer, “#BringBackOurGirls: How a Hashtag Took Hold,” Tech President, May 7, 2014, http://techpresident.com/news/24996/bringbackourgirls-how-hashtag-took-hold.
“a million woman march”:
Agence France-Presse, “Hundreds march over Nigeria schoolgirl kidnappings,” The Guardian, April 30, 2014, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/30/hundreds-march-nigeria-chibok-schoolgirl-kidnappings-boko-haram.
child brides for a sum of approximately $12 each: “Kidnapped Nigeria school girls reportedly sold as brides to Islamic Boko Haram militants,” CBS News, April 30, 2014, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kidnapped-nigeria-school-girls-reportedly-sold-as-brides-to-islamic-boko-haram-militants.
“Boko Haram: Nigerian Terror Group Sells Girls Into Slavery,” NBC News, April 30, 2014, https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-nigeria-schoolgirls/boko-haram-nigerian-terror-group-sells-girls-slavery-n93951.
CHAPTER 11
Sambisa forest, hidden away: the enduring myths surrounding Sambisa forest and its recent occupation by Boko Haram have created a dearth of extensive writings about the enclave. What exists are best described as snapshots of the terrain and details of what it used to be during the days of Nigeria’s colonial past. Most influential to my writing has been the accounts provided by the girls themselves of what they saw and heard while in this no-go zone
Moki Edwin Kindzeka, “Sambisa Forest: An Ideal Hiding Place for Boko Haram,” Voice of America News, May 24, 2016, http://www.voanews.com/a/the-forest-concealing-boko-haram/3343895.html.
Bodunrin Kayode, “Inside Nigeria's Sambisa forest, the Boko Haram hideout where kidnapped school girls are believed to be held,” The Guardian, April 29, 2014, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/29/nigeria-sambisa-forest-boko-haram-hideout-kidnapped-school-girls-believed-to-be-held.
Muhammed Adamu, “Boko Haram and the legend of Sambisa Forest,” Blueprint, January 19, 2017, https://blueprint.ng/boko-haram-and-the-legend-of-sambisa-forest.
“Sambisa Forest,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambisa_Forest.
“Sahel,” Encyclopædia Britannica, October 09, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahel.
Alexis Okeowo, “As the Year Ends, Where Are Nigeria’s Kidnapped Girls?,” New Yorker, December 17, 2014, https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/year-ends-nigerias-kidnapped-girls.
“Nigeria says troops invade last Boko Haram stronghold,” Al Jazeera, April 23, 2015, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/nigeria-boko-haram-sambisa-forest-150423090548354.html.
Azeez Olaniyan, “Once Upon a Game Reserve: Sambisa and the Tragedy of a Forested Landscape,” Environment & Society, 2018, http://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/once-upon-game-reserve-sambisa-and-tragedy-forested-landscape.
“See photos of Nigerian troops camouflage as trees in Sambisa forest,” P.M. News, March 28, 2017, https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2017/03/28/see-photos-nigerian-troops-camouflage-trees-sambisa-forest.
Bodunrin Kayode, “Inside Nigeria’s Sambisa forest, the Boko Haram hideout where kidnapped school girls are believed to be held,” The Guardian, April 29, 2014, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/29/nigeria-sambisa-forest-boko-haram-hideout-kidnapped-school-girls-believed-to-be-held.
In early 2013, the terror group—It is difficult to say definitively when exactly Boko Haram relocated to Sambisa, making it the group’s base. But it is clear that from at least 2013 it had become ground zero for the terrorists
Azeez Olaniyan, “Once Upon a Game Reserve: Sambisa and the Tragedy of a Forested Landscape,” Environment & Society, 2018, http://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/once-upon-game-reserve-sambisa-and-tragedy-forested-landscape.
“Who are Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamist group?,” BBC News, November 24, 2016, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13809501.
Moki Edwin Kindzeka, “Sambisa Forest: An Ideal Hiding Place for Boko Haram,” Voice of America News, May 24, 2016, http://www.voanews.com/a/the-forest-concealing-boko-haram/3343895.html.
Bodunrin Kayode, “Inside Nigeria's Sambisa forest, the Boko Haram hideout where kidnapped school girls are believed to be held,” The Guardian, April 29, 2014, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/29/nigeria-sambisa-forest-boko-haram-hideout-kidnapped-school-girls-believed-to-be-held.
“What do you know about Sambisa near Chibok?,” The Cable, May 7, 2014, https://www.thecable.ng/what-do-you-know-about-sambisa-near-chibok.
among the 57 girls who fled: “Nigeria Chibok abductions: What we know,” BBC News, May 8, 2017, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32299943.
CHAPTER 12
Nigeria had been chosen to host this: Bassey Udo, “Nigeria relishes right to host WEF 2014, says Okonjo-Iweala,” Premium Times, November 11, 2013, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/149427-nigeria-relishes-right-host-wef-2014-says-okonjo-iweala.html.
the Nigerian Minister of Information, Labaran Maku: “CNN’s Isha Sesay Interviews Information Minister Labaran Maku On Slow Response To Chibok Aduction,” 360nobs, May 10, 2014, https://www.360nobs.com/2014/05/cnns-isha-sesay-interviews-information-minister-labaran-maku-on-slow-response-to-chibok-aduction-video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+360nobscom+%28360Nobs.com%29.
CNN interview May 2014: Tensions rose further when Amnesty International released a report on May 9: “Nigerian authorities failed to act on warnings about Boko Haram raid on school,” Amnesty International, May 9, 2014, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2014/05/nigerian-authorities-failed-act-warnings-about-boko-haram-raid-school.
The Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the President, Doyin Okupe: May 2014
exclusive CNN sit-down interview: “Transcript: CNN interviews Nige
rian President Goodluck Jonathan,” CNN, October 1, 2010, http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/09/30/goodluck.jonathan.transcript/index.html.
CHAPTER 13
the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF): Alex Thurston, ‘The Disease Is Unbelief’: Boko Haram’s Religious And Political Worldview, The Brookings Institution, January 2016, https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Brookings-Analysis-Paper_Alex-Thurston_Final_Web.pdf.
Alexis Okeowo, “Inside the Vigilante Fight Against Boko Haram,” New York Times Magazine, November 5, 2014 https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/magazine/inside-the-vigilante-fight-against-boko-haram.html.
CHAPTER 14
nearly hour-long video on May 5 2014: Aminu Abubakar and Josh Levs, “‘I will sell them,’ Boko Haram leader says of kidnapped Nigerian girls,” CNN, May 6, 2014, https://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/05/world/africa/nigeria-abducted-girls/index.html.
quickly stepped up with offers of support: Catrina Stewart, “World pledges help to Nigeria in hunt for girls kidnapped by Boko Haram,” The Independent, May 8, 2014, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/world-pledges-help-to-nigeria-in-hunt-for-girls-kidnapped-by-boko-haram-9340967.html.
May 12, 2014, Boko Haram released a twenty-seven-minute video: Adam Nossiter, “Nigerian Girls Seen in Video From Militants,” New York Times, May 12, 2014, https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/13/world/africa/boko-haram-video-kidnapped-nigerian-girls.html.
“Nigerian kidnapped girls ‘shown in Boko Haram footage’,” The Guardian video, 1:16, May 12, 2014, https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2014/may/12/nigeria-kidnapped-girls-boko-haram-video.
“Nigeria kidnapped girls ‘shown in Boko Haram video’,” BBC News, May 12, 2014, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27373287.
parents couldn’t immediately watch: Ndahi Marama and Emmanuel Elebeke, “#BringBackourGirls: Doubts, hope as parents watch B-Haram video,” Vanguard News Nigeria, May 13, 2014, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/05/bringbackourgirls-doubts-hope-parents-watch-b-haram-video.
Paris Security summit: John Irish and Bate Felix, “Paris summit to try to rally region against Nigeria’s Boko Haram,” Reuters, May 16, 2014, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-girls-summit/paris-summit-to-try-to-rally-region-against-nigerias-boko-haram-idUSBREA4F0BQ20140516.
Sam Frizell, “West African Leaders Agree on Plan to ‘Crush’ Boko Haram,” Time Magazine, May 17, 2014, http://time.com/103835/boko-haram-nigeria-africa-summit.
Maïa de la Baume and Alissa J. Rubin, “West African Nations Set Aside Their Old Suspicions to Combat Boko Haram,” New York Times, May 17, 2014, https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/world/africa/west-african-nations-set-aside-their-old-suspicions-to-combat-boko-haram.html?hp.
CHAPTER 16
President Jonathan had been seen out in public, happily singing: David Smith, “Nigerian president faces increasing pressure over kidnapped schoolgirls,” The Guardian, May 18, 2014, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/18/nigerian-president-under-increasing-pressure-over-schoolgirls.
“Nigeria refused help to search for kidnapped girls,” The Times of Israel, May 11, 2014, http://www.timesofisrael.com/nigeria-refused-help-to-search-for-kidnapped-girls/?fb_comment_id=713467175377679_713487772042286.
Nicholas Ibekwe, “Nigerians lambast Jonathan for singing, dancing at campaign rally while nation mourns bomb blast victims,” Premium Times, April 16, 2014, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/158836-nigerians-lambast-jonathan-for-singing-dancing-at-campaign-rally-while-nation-mourns-bomb-blast-victims.html.
done her part to sow discord: “Nigeria: First Lady Orders Arrest of ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ Protest Leader,” The Burton Wire, May 8, 2014, http://theburtonwire.com/2014/05/08/politics/nigeria-first-lady-orders-arrest-of-bring-back-our-girls-protest-leader.
Ogala Emmanuel, “Patience Jonathan did not order arrest of #BringBackOurGirls protest leader – Aide,” Premium Times, May 5, 2014, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/160163-patience-jonathan-order-arrest-bringbackourgirls-protest-leader-aide.html.
“Patience Jonathan Orders Arrest Of #Bringbackourgirls Abuja Protest Leaders, You Won’t Believe Why,” Information Nigeria, May 5, 2014, http://www.informationng.com/2014/05/patience-jonathan-orders-arrest-of-bringbackourgirls-abuja-protest-leaders-you-wont-believe-why.html.
“Nigeria schoolgirl abductions: Protest leader detained,” BBC News, May 5, 2014, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27283278.
Alex Badeh, proudly announced: “We know where abducted Chibok girls —Chief of Defence Staff Alex Badeh,” News Express video, 0:46, May 26, 2014, https://newsexpressngr.com/videos/video_details.php?title=We-know-where-abducted-Chibok-girls-Chief-of-Defence-Staff-Alex-Badeh&id=10&cat=Video-News.
Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in as the fifteenth President: “Nigeria’s President Buhari promises change at inauguration,” BBC News, May 29, 2015, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32927311.
“technically . . . won the war”: Daniel Mumbere, “Pres. Buhari insists that Boko Haram has been defeated,” Africa News, January 2, 2018, http://www.africanews.com/2018/01/02/pres-buhari-insists-that-boko-haram-has-been-defeated.
CHAPTER 17
known as female genital mutilation or cutting—long-standing tensions around the practice of FGM continue to make it difficult for anti-FGM campaigners to collect data of cases. What is not in doubt is this “coming of age” rite is still very much a part of Sierra Leonean culture.
“Fighting genital mutilation in Sierra Leone,” World Health Organization, November 2005, http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/83/11/news21105/en.
Umaru Fofana, “Captured and cut: FGM returns to Sierra Leone despite official ban,” The Guardian, September 29, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/sep/29/female-genital-mutilation-returns-sierra-leone-official-ban.
Lisa O’Carroll, “Sierra Leone’s secret FGM societies spread silent fear and sleepless nights,” The Guardian, August 24, 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/aug/24/sierra-leone-female-genital-mutilation-soweis-secret-societies-fear.
Sharmila Devi, “FGM in Sierra Leone,” World Report 391 (February 2018): 415. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30189-2.
“Sierra Leone: The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM); the government’s position with respect to the practice; consequences of refusing to become an FGM practitioner in Bondo Society, specifically, if a daughter of a practitioner refuses to succeed her mother,” Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, March 27, 2009, https://www.refworld.org/docid/4b20f02bc.html.
CHAPTER 18
the BBC reported the accounts of four unnamed eyewitnesses: “Nigeria’s Chibok girls ‘seen with Boko Haram in Gwoza’,” BBC News, April 14, 2015, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32292854.
Samuel Malik, “Chibok girls are in Gwoza, says freed Boko Haram abductee,” Premium Times, March 25, 2015, https://www.premium timesng.com/news/headlines/179106-chibok-girls-are-in-gwoza-says-freed-boko-haram-abductee.html.
Jola Sotubo, “No sign of Chibok girls as soldiers recover Gwoza from terrorists,” Pulse News, March 27, 2015, https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/boko-haram-no-sign-of-chibok-girls-as-soldiers-recover-gwoza-from-terrorists-photos-id3608122.html.
David Blair, “Nigeria’s army captures Boko Haram HQ,” The Telegraph, March 27, 2015, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/11500457/Nigerias-army-captures-Boko-Haram-HQ.html.
“Nigeria: A tale of survival in Gwoza town,” United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, October 31, 2016, https://www.unocha.org/story/nigeria-tale-survival-gwoza-town.
“Boko Haram HQ Gwoza in Nigeria ‘retaken’,” BBC News, March 27, 2015, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32087211.
on the outskirts of Banki: “Nigeria's Boko Haram ‘seize Banki town near Cameroon’,” BBC News, September 3, 2014, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29048394.
“Banki: a Nigerian border town choked by Boko
Haram homeless,” Daily Mail, May 3, 2017, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-4472054/Banki-Nigerian-border-town-choked-Boko-Haram-homeless.html.
negotiations with Boko Haram for the release of these 21 girls: From my interviews with Zannah Mustapha, I learned he was undoubtedly the lynchpin of the talks that took place to secure the release of the 21 Chibok girls. But to date he refuses to be drawn on the specific details of the deal that resulted in their freedom.
Yemisi Adegoke and Torera Idowu, “Zannah Mustapha: The Nigerian man saving Boko Haram orphans,” CNN, September 21, 2017, https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/21/africa/boko-haram-orphans-zannah-mustapha/index.html.
Abdulkareem Haruna, “INTERVIEW: My role in negotiation with Boko Haram, release of Chibok Girls—Zannah Mustapha,” Premium Times, January 15, 2018, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/255539-interview-my-role-in-negotiation-with-boko-haram-release-of-chibok-girls-zannah-mustapha.html.
“The man who brokered the deal to release the Chibok girls,” BBC News, May 17, 2017 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-39928628.
John Campbell, “The Ransom of Nigeria’s Chibok School Girls,” Council on Foreign Relations, April 15, 2016, https://www.cfr.org/blog/ransom-nigerias-chibok-school-girls.
Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw, “Freedom for the World’s Most Famous Hostages Came at a Heavy Price,” The Wall Street Journal, December 24, 2017, https://www.wsj.com/articles/two-bags-of-cash-for-boko-haram-the-untold-story-of-how-nigeria-freed-its-kidnapped-girls-1513957354.
the release of the 21 girls was triggered by President Buhari’s 2016 statement at the United Nations: Curt Mills, “Nigeria Seeks U.N. Help to Get Back Chibok Girls,” US News & World Report, September 22, 2016, https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-09-22/nigerias-muhammadu-buhari-asks-for-un-help-with-boko-haram-chibok-girls.
CHAPTER 19
CNN’s release of a never before publicly seen proof of life video: “Chibok kidnapping: New ‘proof of life’ video,” CNN video, 0:54, April 13, 2016, https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/04/13/chibok-girls-boko-haram-proof-of-life-video-sdg-orig.cnn.