Two of the remaining 98 Chibok schoolgirls have managed to escape from their captors in Borno State‘s Sambisa forest.
The escape occurred as a result of intensive military operations in the woodland, according to sources who spoke with reporters.
Hauwa Mutah and Esther Markus were the two escapees, according to a security source.
The source said, “One is from Chibok and the other one from Dzilang village,” he said. This has reduced the number of Chibok schoolgirls in captivity from 98 to 96.
The abduction, which occurred on April 14, 2014, sparked global outrage and calls for the safe return of the girls, including from prominent figures such as former US First Lady Michelle Obama.
Over the years, efforts to rescue and rehabilitate the girls have been made; some of the girls have managed to escape or have been released through talks. Many of the females who have returned home, nevertheless, have experienced severe abuse and stigmatisation in their communities, including giving birth to children fathered by Boko Haram insurgents.
Some of the released Chibok girls have enrolled in foundation programs at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) with Federal government scholarships or sponsorship from foreign benefactors as part of efforts to provide education and assistance for them.
One of the girls, Lydia Pogu, graduated from Southeastern University in the United States in May 2022 with a Master’s degree in Human Services Administration, a year after earning a Bachelor’s degree there.