Don’t Neglect Chibok Girls, Foundation Tells Federal Govt

As the world marks 12 years of the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Northeast Nigeria, the Murtala Mohammed Foundation (MMF) has called for renewed accountability, warning that the tragedy had come to symbolise a broader pattern of neglect and diminishing global urgency.

In a statement released alongside its latest report, MMF said that 89 of the girls remain unaccounted for, underscoring the extent to which the crisis remains unresolved more than a decade later.

According to the Foundation in the report issued by Aisha Muhammed Oyebode, CEO, Murtala Muhammed Foundation, 187 of the girls have either escaped or been released and rescued since the abduction on April 14, 2014.

In addition, the report said over 40 children had been born in captivity and returned with their mothers, reflecting the long-term human consequences of the abduction.

Despite these developments, MMF noted that progress had slowed significantly, with no confirmed recovery of a Chibok girl in the past year.

“Chibok has become more than a place or a moment in time,” the Chief Executive Officer of MMF, Dr. Aisha Muhammed Oyebode said.

Her words, “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.”

The Foundation warned that the Chibok abduction, once a defining moment of global outrage, now reflects a broader failure to sustain attention and follow through on commitments. It further noted that subsequent abductions of schoolchildren across Nigeria have reinforced fears among families and undermined confidence in the safety of education, particularly for girls.

“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 said.

MMF called on the Government of Nigeria to intensify efforts to locate those still missing and to ensure transparency and accountability in its response. It also urged the United Nations and the international community to renew engagement and support coordinated efforts to protect children and safeguard education in conflict-affected regions.

The Foundation emphasised that the long-term impact of the abduction extends beyond those still missing, affecting survivors, families, and entire communities. Many girls have experienced disrupted education, prolonged trauma, and uncertain futures.

“Chibok must not be remembered only as a tragedy,” the CEO said. “It must remain a call to action. Until every missing girl is accounted for, this responsibility remains unfinished.”