12 years after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) has raised fresh concerns over what it describes as waning accountability and global attention to the tragedy.
In a statement marking the anniversary of the April 14, 2014 abduction by Boko Haram, the foundation disclosed that 89 of the girls remain unaccounted for, more than a decade after the incident that sparked worldwide outrage.
MMF noted that while 187 of the abducted girls have either escaped or been rescued over the years, progress in recent times has stalled, with no confirmed recovery recorded in the past year.
The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Aisha Muhammed Oyebode, warned that the Chibok tragedy has evolved into a symbol of systemic failure.
“Chibok has become more than a place or a moment in time. It is now a metaphor for neglect—of responsibility, of accountability, and of our collective empathy for those who continue to live with the consequences of this tragedy,” she said.
The foundation further revealed that more than 40 children were born in captivity and have since returned with their mothers, underscoring the long-term human toll of the abduction.
According to MMF, the Chibok incident, once a rallying point for global advocacy through campaigns such as “Bring Back Our Girls,” now reflects a broader inability to sustain attention and follow through on commitments.
“What Chibok exposed was not only a security failure, but a failure of sustained attention—the inability to begin and to finish, to respond and to follow through,” the statement added.
The organisation also expressed concern over continued abductions of schoolchildren in parts of Nigeria, noting that such incidents have deepened fears among families and weakened confidence in the safety of education, particularly for girls.
MMF called on the federal government to intensify efforts to locate the remaining girls and ensure transparency in its operations, while urging the United Nations and the international community to re-engage and support coordinated strategies to protect children in conflict-affected areas.
It stressed that the impact of the abduction extends beyond those still missing, affecting survivors, families, and entire communities through disrupted education, trauma, and uncertain futures.
“Chibok must not be remembered only as a tragedy. It must remain a call to action. Until every missing girl is accounted for, this responsibility remains unfinished,” Oyebode said.
The foundation’s report was accompanied by a photographic exhibition drawn from Stolen Daughters of Chibok, highlighting the human stories behind the statistics.
Sunday Ehigiator
