New Chibok video evokes mother's tears for missing daughter

It’s been two years since Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls from a school in the town of Chibok.

Esther Yakubu is among the parents missing their daughters . She joined other relatives of the missing girls in Abuja on the second anniversary of the abduction to watch the first video released by Boko Haram since 2014.

Her daughter is not in the video which was aired on an international media. But she recognised many of the girls and broke down in tears.

“I saw our girls, I am sure they are Chibok girls. I recognize some of them because we are in the same area with them so I recognize them. They are the Chibok girls,” she said.

“Because they have changed. They are not the way they were when they kidnapped them. Two years ago they are not like this but today they are two years at their other years so they are changed. I recognize them, I know they are our girls.”

Boko Haram militants abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok on April 14, 2014, with 57 students managing to escape but 219 still missing despite a global campaign #bringbackourgirls involving celebrities and U.S. first lady Michelle Obama.

The authenticity of the video has been doubted by many who say that they cannot verify whether the girls are alive or dead. The same sentiment was aired by the Chairman of the Chibok community in Abuja, Tsambido Hosea.

“Actually what we want in that video is we want experts to go and screen and know the timing of the video. Yes, that will prove to us that yes these girls are really alive. Maybe they take that video two months after abduction we don’t know, maybe a year after the abduction we don’t know. But actually that video even though we are still to authenticate it brings another hope to people that if that is the case these girls truly is still alive,” Hosea said.

About 2,000 girls and boys have been abducted by the Boko Haram since 2014, with many used as sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers, according to Amnesty International.

Reuters