Chibok Girls Feared Dead as Boko Haram Loses Ground

On April 14 of last year, some 240 Nigerian schoolgirls from Chibok were taken by Boko Haram militants. Since that time, government organizations around the world have been unable to ensure their safe return. The UNHCR recently released a report that stated the Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram have most likely been killed.

Several reports by organizations such as the Human Rights Watch have concluded that many of the girls abducted by Boko Haram were forced into marriage with the militants. The Chibok girls were subjected to forced conversion to Islam as well. The Human Rights Watch released a report a few months ago that included interviews with some of the girls who escaped from Boko Haram captivity. These girls stated that the militants physically abused many of the girls.

The UNHCR declared that when Boko Haram was retreating from regional military forces, the militants most likely killed their "wives" during their escape. Zeid Raad al-Hussein, a UN human rights official, said in the statement that the militants killed the women in fear that they might marry infidels after being liberated from Boko Haram. The Chibok girls were thought to be in the town of Bama, which was liberated from Boko Haram.

It is not confirmed whether or not all of the Chibok girls have been killed as Boko Haram retreats from the combined forces of Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. However, as the government militaries continue to liberate areas of Nigeria they have found mass graves and evidence of further murders by Boko Haram.

As Boko Haram is being pushed out of its occupied territories, there have been various reports of militants attacking local farmers near the border between Cameroon and Nigeria. Militants allegedly attacked the farmers in order to obtain food sources and crops. Farmers who did not cooperate with the militants have been killed.

Officials state that these random attacks along the border are done by smaller and disjointed clusters of Boko Haram militants. This pattern of attack, as opposed to an organized and collaborative effort, exemplifies the degradation of Boko Haram forces, say officials. According to the officials, the end of Boko Haram is near.