Nigeria’s teachers have gone on a nationwide strike and staged rallies to protest the kidnapping of over 200 schoolgirls by Islamic militants, demanding that schools receive better protection from the government.
“All schools nationwide shall be closed as the day will be our day of protest against the abduction of the Chibok female students and the heartless murder of the 173 teachers,” National Union of Teachers President Micheal Alogba Olukoya told reporters, according to Reuters.
Close to 270 girls were taken from an all-girls school in Chibok on April 14 by terrorist group Boko Haram, which threatened to sell them as brides to Islamic militants. Despite Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s promises to do everything he can to find the girls, and the U.S. and U.K. sending teams into Nigeria to help in the search and rescue efforts, the girls are yet to be found.
Boko Haram has been waging war on the Nigerian government for the past five years now, and has targeted schools, churches, and government buildings in its deadly attacks that have resulted in thousands of deaths.
Nigerian citizens have been taking arms against the terrorist group, arguing that the army is not doing enough to counter the threat. Last week, vigilante groups staged an ambush against Boko Haram fighters at the village of Kalabalge and managed to arrest at least 10 and kill an unspecified number.
