![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaChibok girls feel let down 10 years after Nigeria kidnappingPublished5 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsNigeria schoolgirl kidnappingsImage source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Amina Ali became the first Chibok girl to escape prolonged captivity in 2016By Yemisi AdegokeBBC News, northern NigeriaWe had to meet Lisu in secret as she says the local Nigerian authorities are trying to prevent her from talking to journalists.She was one of the 276 girls abducted from their school in the town of Chibok exactly a decade ago – a kidnapping that shocked the world and sparked a global campaign to #BringBackOurGirls, which included former US First Lady Michelle Obama.More than 180 have either since escaped or been freed, including Lisu, who gave birth to two children while she was a hostage of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram, living in a hideout in the Sambisa forest.After escaping, Lisu – which is not her real name – went through the government rehabilitation programme, before being placed in group accommodation with other escapees. “I do regret coming back,” she says, shuffling in her seat. Not exactly the message the authorities want coming out. The Borno state government has denied limiting the former captives’ freedom of speech.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Lisu is “deeply unhappy” about the way she has been treated in the government accommodationLisu feels the way she is now treated is worse than what she lived through before.”Sometimes I cry when I remember. I ask myself: ‘Why did I even leave Sambisa to come back to Nigeria, only to come and face such degrading treatment, being insulted almost daily?’ I never experienced such heartache while I was in Sambisa.”Lisu says she is barely surviving under state care; basic provisions like food and soap are not enough, her movements are closely watched and restricted by security guards and she has been subjected to verbal abuse from staff at the group home.”They yell at us all the time, I am deeply unhappy,” she says. “I had more freedom at the Boko Haram camp than I do here.”This is a characterisation that the Borno state government said it did not recognise. In a statement to the BBC, it said there were no restrictions on the movements of the young women in its care except when there were issues of their personal safety. The authorities said they were also providing enough food and nutrition for the former captives and their children. Though the experiences of those who fled or were freed are varied, and they are all at different stages of rehabilitation, a theme that promises made to them over the years had been broken emerged from those we spoke to.In 2016, Amina Ali became the first of the Chibok captives to escape since the immediate aftermath of the kidnapping.She too is dissatisfied with her treatment. The last time she saw the sprawling school campus that now stands in front of her, it was on fire – that was the night of 14 April, 2014.”Wow, this school still exists,” she says softly, gazing at the newly renovated, cream-coloured buildings. “After all that happened to us, it’s still here.””We used to sit under that tree,” she continues, pointing at a towering, barren tree in the corner of the compound. She looks around, noting all the changes.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Amina has ambitions to be a journalist and help tell the story of the Chibok girlsThe grass is overgrown, the tiles on the walkways are new. The rust-coloured main gate has been moved and the dormitories do not exist any more. When the grounds were rebuilt, it reopened as a day school in 2021.While the cosmetic changes to the school are significant, outside the gates little has changed in Chibok. Insecurity is still rife. Boko Haram gunmen continue to attack the area, the latest assault late last year.The poorly maintained roads are dotted with checkpoints and there is a heavy military presence in the town. Mobile communication is patchy, a telecom mast lies on its side next to the road, probably felled by militants, a local colleague says.Then there are the emotional scars.Amina spent two years as a hostage in Sambisa. Like many of the captives, she was forced to “marry” a militant and convert to Islam. There was a routine to life in the forest; cooking, cleaning, learning the Quran, but Amina never gave up hope that one day she would escape.”I just thought even if I spend 10 years [as a hostage], one day I will escape,” she says.And one day she did.It took weeks of trekking through thick bush in sweltering temperatures, little food and with her two-month-old baby strapped to her back, but she made it.Parents of Chibok girls heartbroken – againThe secret diaries of the Chibok girlsThe town that lost its girlsBut more than 90 girls are still missing. Her friend Helen Nglada is one of them. Amina and Helen were classmates. They were both singers in the church band that Helen led. After the kidnap, the two grew close in Sambisa forest, spending as much time as they could together. The last conversation Amina had with Helen was about Chibok and how much they wished they could go back there. Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, For Helen’s mother, Saratu, meeting Amina brings back painful memoriesThe agony caused by Helen’s continued absence is etched on the faces of her parents, Saratu and Ibrahim, who are sitting outside their modest home, a short distance from the school.Her mother tightly grips two photographs of Helen and her sister. The girls are wearing matching outfits, headscarves and serious expressions.”I just wish I got my friend back,” Amina says, “so we can share the happiness with her.”Saratu struggles to contain her emotions. “Any time you come to the house and I see you, my mind goes back to my daughter,” she says to Amina.She breaks down into floods of tears and Amina places a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.”I just want our [state] governor to do something and rescue our children,” Ibrahim says quietly. “He should put in more effort to rescue the other children.”Amina’s escape in 2016 was accompanied by huge fanfare and relief.After being debriefed by the military, she met government officials including then President Muhammadu Buhari, who said the course of her life would change for the better.”[The president said] he’s going to take care of us and send us to school and even our children too,” Amina recalls. “Because it’s not our fault to find ourselves in that situation and the children too, they don’t know anything. They’re innocent. So he’s going to take care of them.”Image source, AFPImage caption, When she escaped from Boko Haram in 2016, Amina (L) and her baby met then President Muhammadu BuhariLife today does not look like what was promised.Amina now lives in Yola, about five hours away from Chibok by road, and shares a small room with her daughter. They share an outdoor bathroom with a neighbour and she cooks on firewood outside.Money is tight. She receives 20,000 naira ($15; £12) a month to cover everyday expenses but nothing for her daughter’s education, despite the government’s promises. She pays that bill herself with the little money she makes from farming.”It’s hard for me to look after my daughter,” she says. “What can I do? I have to do it because I don’t have anyone.”Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Amina struggles with the money she has to bring up her daughter who was born in a Boko Haram campAmina is balancing raising her daughter while studying at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), a private and elite institution.AUN is the only option Amina and the other Chibok girls were given to resume their studies, but many of them have struggled to keep up and some have dropped out. “We didn’t choose AUN because we know the school standards are difficult for us, we girls come from poor backgrounds,” she says. “The former minister forced us to come to this school.” The girls said they would have liked more autonomy in choosing where they could study and wonder if some of the government’s money spent covering the AUN’s high fees could have been better spent directly supporting them. Amina has attended AUN since 2017, but is not close to graduating. Only one of the former captives has graduated.Nigeria’s Women’s Affairs Minister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye says the government has been paying AUN roughly $350,000 a year for the Chibok girls and their education over the last six years. It is an arrangement she says will be reviewed.”I’m not paying nobody that kind of money. Even if they put it on the budget, I will not release the money,” she says. “The girls should be considered first and foremost. School is important, first and foremost. But you don’t go to school on an empty stomach.”Rakiya Gali is another Chibok girl – she escaped from Boko Haram in 2017. She was a student at AUN briefly, but dropped out due to poor health.Rakiya says she does not receive any financial support and like Amina pays for her son’s education with the money she makes from farming, despite promises from the government.”The government has been unfair to us,” she says in an impassioned voice. “They knew that we went into [Sambisa forest] and came back with children. If they cannot help us, then who will help us?”In addition to the financial burden, Rakiya lives in fear, as her town is still being attacked by Boko Haram. She says militants recently burned down her son’s school.”Whenever I hear any sound, I think it is a gunshot,” she says.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, The school still exists – though it no longer takes boardersRakiya desperately wants to move forward with her life and secure the best possible education for her son, but the lack of support makes things feel impossible. So much so, she believes the Chibok girls who remain hostages would stay with Boko Haram if they could see how she and those who escaped are living outside the camp.”When [the girls] return [they] will come join us in this situation,” she says. “I would say it is better to stay [in Sambisa forest] with the child and the father will provide support, rather than going through this trouble.”The conditions she describes are a far cry from those of one of their former captors.Muhammad Alli, a former Boko Haram fighter who was involved in the Chibok kidnapping, is now living in Maiduguri with his family – including eight children. He was part of the militant group for 13 years and rose to the rank of commander, even forcefully “marrying” one of the Chibok girls.”At the time I married them, I did not feel any guilt,” he says. “But when I decided to surrender, I started to realise how awful they must have felt being forced to do these things.”Like thousands of other fighters, Muhammad was granted amnesty and completed the state government rehabilitation programme. He has a farm, but also works with the military to help rescue abducted girls.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Muhammad Alli is now helping the authorities tackle other hostage situationsLast year he was part of a group that rescued some of the same people he had helped kidnap. “They were in a terrible state when we found them,” he says. “I cried at the sight of them.”The amnesty programme is not without controversy, with some saying that former militants like Mohammad should serve jail time and be held accountable for their numerous crimes. “All I can say in that regard is to ask for forgiveness,” Mohammed counters. “I am remorseful, I am looking for ways to quench the fire we started, and I do this with the men whom I surrendered with. We are doing our best to weaken the effects of insurgency.”But the insurgency rages on, and kidnapping for ransom has become even more widespread in Nigeria. While reporting this story there were three separate kidnappings in north-eastern Nigeria, one of these attacks was on a school and was the largest of its kind since 2021.Mohammad says that the “success” of the Chibok kidnappings has encouraged these types of attacks.”We realised that the event shook the entire nation and Africa as a whole,” he says. “And the core mission of Boko Haram for [group leader] Abubakar Shekau was to ensure our activities attracted attention. “He also got money off some of these actions, which helped pay for transport and food, and that’s why they continued the abductions.”Serious questions remain around Nigeria’s military and its ability to tackle the insurgency that has spanned more than a decade and left hundreds of thousands of people dead, particularly as insecurity spreads to other parts of the country.Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa, Nigeria’s defence chief, has acknowledged the “enormous” challenges facing the military, calling the current state of insecurity in the country a “rude shock”, but is confident the tide is turning.As for the 91 Chibok girls still being held captive, Gen Musa says the military has not given up hope that they will be rescued.Despite her satisfaction with her current situation, Amina is hopeful too. She hopes to become a journalist one day, to be a voice for victims of kidnapping, to be a leader. She also hopes her daughter will finish her education and have a bright, safe future.Most of all, she hopes her classmates will one day be freed.”The only thing I need the government to do is to release some of my sisters that are still in captivity. I have that hope,” she says. “Because when they are still alive [there’s hope] they will come back one day.” You can watch Yemisi’s full report on the BBC Africa YouTube channelFind out more about the Chibok girls:PODCAST: What happened to the Chibok girls?Why was this freed Chibok girl treated differently? The kidnapped woman who defied Boko HaramThe man who brought back the Chibok girlsRelated TopicsNigeriaBoko HaramNigeria schoolgirl kidnappingsAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastAfrica Daily podcastTop StoriesLive. Israel shoots down missiles and drones as Iran launches unprecedented attackIsrael says its defences in action as Iran attacksPublished1 hour agoSydney knife attacker identified by policePublished59 minutes agoFeaturesThe trafficked war babies looking for their long-lost familiesWorld watches nervously to see what Iran does nextUkraine could face defeat in 2024. Here’s how that might lookDifficult hunt for 12 impartial jurors to sit on historic Trump trialListen: The Liz Truss Memoir. 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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaChibok girls feel let down 10 years after Nigeria kidnappingPublished5 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsNigeria schoolgirl kidnappingsImage source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Amina Ali became the first Chibok girl to escape prolonged captivity in 2016By Yemisi AdegokeBBC News, northern NigeriaWe had to meet Lisu in secret as she says the local Nigerian authorities are trying to prevent her from talking to journalists.She was one of the 276 girls abducted from their school in the town of Chibok exactly a decade ago – a kidnapping that shocked the world and sparked a global campaign to #BringBackOurGirls, which included former US First Lady Michelle Obama.More than 180 have either since escaped or been freed, including Lisu, who gave birth to two children while she was a hostage of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram, living in a hideout in the Sambisa forest.After escaping, Lisu – which is not her real name – went through the government rehabilitation programme, before being placed in group accommodation with other escapees. “I do regret coming back,” she says, shuffling in her seat. Not exactly the message the authorities want coming out. The Borno state government has denied limiting the former captives’ freedom of speech.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Lisu is “deeply unhappy” about the way she has been treated in the government accommodationLisu feels the way she is now treated is worse than what she lived through before.”Sometimes I cry when I remember. I ask myself: ‘Why did I even leave Sambisa to come back to Nigeria, only to come and face such degrading treatment, being insulted almost daily?’ I never experienced such heartache while I was in Sambisa.”Lisu says she is barely surviving under state care; basic provisions like food and soap are not enough, her movements are closely watched and restricted by security guards and she has been subjected to verbal abuse from staff at the group home.”They yell at us all the time, I am deeply unhappy,” she says. “I had more freedom at the Boko Haram camp than I do here.”This is a characterisation that the Borno state government said it did not recognise. In a statement to the BBC, it said there were no restrictions on the movements of the young women in its care except when there were issues of their personal safety. The authorities said they were also providing enough food and nutrition for the former captives and their children. Though the experiences of those who fled or were freed are varied, and they are all at different stages of rehabilitation, a theme that promises made to them over the years had been broken emerged from those we spoke to.In 2016, Amina Ali became the first of the Chibok captives to escape since the immediate aftermath of the kidnapping.She too is dissatisfied with her treatment. The last time she saw the sprawling school campus that now stands in front of her, it was on fire – that was the night of 14 April, 2014.”Wow, this school still exists,” she says softly, gazing at the newly renovated, cream-coloured buildings. “After all that happened to us, it’s still here.””We used to sit under that tree,” she continues, pointing at a towering, barren tree in the corner of the compound. She looks around, noting all the changes.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Amina has ambitions to be a journalist and help tell the story of the Chibok girlsThe grass is overgrown, the tiles on the walkways are new. The rust-coloured main gate has been moved and the dormitories do not exist any more. When the grounds were rebuilt, it reopened as a day school in 2021.While the cosmetic changes to the school are significant, outside the gates little has changed in Chibok. Insecurity is still rife. Boko Haram gunmen continue to attack the area, the latest assault late last year.The poorly maintained roads are dotted with checkpoints and there is a heavy military presence in the town. Mobile communication is patchy, a telecom mast lies on its side next to the road, probably felled by militants, a local colleague says.Then there are the emotional scars.Amina spent two years as a hostage in Sambisa. Like many of the captives, she was forced to “marry” a militant and convert to Islam. There was a routine to life in the forest; cooking, cleaning, learning the Quran, but Amina never gave up hope that one day she would escape.”I just thought even if I spend 10 years [as a hostage], one day I will escape,” she says.And one day she did.It took weeks of trekking through thick bush in sweltering temperatures, little food and with her two-month-old baby strapped to her back, but she made it.Parents of Chibok girls heartbroken – againThe secret diaries of the Chibok girlsThe town that lost its girlsBut more than 90 girls are still missing. Her friend Helen Nglada is one of them. Amina and Helen were classmates. They were both singers in the church band that Helen led. After the kidnap, the two grew close in Sambisa forest, spending as much time as they could together. The last conversation Amina had with Helen was about Chibok and how much they wished they could go back there. Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, For Helen’s mother, Saratu, meeting Amina brings back painful memoriesThe agony caused by Helen’s continued absence is etched on the faces of her parents, Saratu and Ibrahim, who are sitting outside their modest home, a short distance from the school.Her mother tightly grips two photographs of Helen and her sister. The girls are wearing matching outfits, headscarves and serious expressions.”I just wish I got my friend back,” Amina says, “so we can share the happiness with her.”Saratu struggles to contain her emotions. “Any time you come to the house and I see you, my mind goes back to my daughter,” she says to Amina.She breaks down into floods of tears and Amina places a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.”I just want our [state] governor to do something and rescue our children,” Ibrahim says quietly. “He should put in more effort to rescue the other children.”Amina’s escape in 2016 was accompanied by huge fanfare and relief.After being debriefed by the military, she met government officials including then President Muhammadu Buhari, who said the course of her life would change for the better.”[The president said] he’s going to take care of us and send us to school and even our children too,” Amina recalls. “Because it’s not our fault to find ourselves in that situation and the children too, they don’t know anything. They’re innocent. So he’s going to take care of them.”Image source, AFPImage caption, When she escaped from Boko Haram in 2016, Amina (L) and her baby met then President Muhammadu BuhariLife today does not look like what was promised.Amina now lives in Yola, about five hours away from Chibok by road, and shares a small room with her daughter. They share an outdoor bathroom with a neighbour and she cooks on firewood outside.Money is tight. She receives 20,000 naira ($15; £12) a month to cover everyday expenses but nothing for her daughter’s education, despite the government’s promises. She pays that bill herself with the little money she makes from farming.”It’s hard for me to look after my daughter,” she says. “What can I do? I have to do it because I don’t have anyone.”Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Amina struggles with the money she has to bring up her daughter who was born in a Boko Haram campAmina is balancing raising her daughter while studying at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), a private and elite institution.AUN is the only option Amina and the other Chibok girls were given to resume their studies, but many of them have struggled to keep up and some have dropped out. “We didn’t choose AUN because we know the school standards are difficult for us, we girls come from poor backgrounds,” she says. “The former minister forced us to come to this school.” The girls said they would have liked more autonomy in choosing where they could study and wonder if some of the government’s money spent covering the AUN’s high fees could have been better spent directly supporting them. Amina has attended AUN since 2017, but is not close to graduating. Only one of the former captives has graduated.Nigeria’s Women’s Affairs Minister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye says the government has been paying AUN roughly $350,000 a year for the Chibok girls and their education over the last six years. It is an arrangement she says will be reviewed.”I’m not paying nobody that kind of money. Even if they put it on the budget, I will not release the money,” she says. “The girls should be considered first and foremost. School is important, first and foremost. But you don’t go to school on an empty stomach.”Rakiya Gali is another Chibok girl – she escaped from Boko Haram in 2017. She was a student at AUN briefly, but dropped out due to poor health.Rakiya says she does not receive any financial support and like Amina pays for her son’s education with the money she makes from farming, despite promises from the government.”The government has been unfair to us,” she says in an impassioned voice. “They knew that we went into [Sambisa forest] and came back with children. If they cannot help us, then who will help us?”In addition to the financial burden, Rakiya lives in fear, as her town is still being attacked by Boko Haram. She says militants recently burned down her son’s school.”Whenever I hear any sound, I think it is a gunshot,” she says.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, The school still exists – though it no longer takes boardersRakiya desperately wants to move forward with her life and secure the best possible education for her son, but the lack of support makes things feel impossible. So much so, she believes the Chibok girls who remain hostages would stay with Boko Haram if they could see how she and those who escaped are living outside the camp.”When [the girls] return [they] will come join us in this situation,” she says. “I would say it is better to stay [in Sambisa forest] with the child and the father will provide support, rather than going through this trouble.”The conditions she describes are a far cry from those of one of their former captors.Muhammad Alli, a former Boko Haram fighter who was involved in the Chibok kidnapping, is now living in Maiduguri with his family – including eight children. He was part of the militant group for 13 years and rose to the rank of commander, even forcefully “marrying” one of the Chibok girls.”At the time I married them, I did not feel any guilt,” he says. “But when I decided to surrender, I started to realise how awful they must have felt being forced to do these things.”Like thousands of other fighters, Muhammad was granted amnesty and completed the state government rehabilitation programme. He has a farm, but also works with the military to help rescue abducted girls.Image source, BBC/Simpa SamsonImage caption, Muhammad Alli is now helping the authorities tackle other hostage situationsLast year he was part of a group that rescued some of the same people he had helped kidnap. “They were in a terrible state when we found them,” he says. “I cried at the sight of them.”The amnesty programme is not without controversy, with some saying that former militants like Mohammad should serve jail time and be held accountable for their numerous crimes. “All I can say in that regard is to ask for forgiveness,” Mohammed counters. “I am remorseful, I am looking for ways to quench the fire we started, and I do this with the men whom I surrendered with. We are doing our best to weaken the effects of insurgency.”But the insurgency rages on, and kidnapping for ransom has become even more widespread in Nigeria. While reporting this story there were three separate kidnappings in north-eastern Nigeria, one of these attacks was on a school and was the largest of its kind since 2021.Mohammad says that the “success” of the Chibok kidnappings has encouraged these types of attacks.”We realised that the event shook the entire nation and Africa as a whole,” he says. “And the core mission of Boko Haram for [group leader] Abubakar Shekau was to ensure our activities attracted attention. “He also got money off some of these actions, which helped pay for transport and food, and that’s why they continued the abductions.”Serious questions remain around Nigeria’s military and its ability to tackle the insurgency that has spanned more than a decade and left hundreds of thousands of people dead, particularly as insecurity spreads to other parts of the country.Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa, Nigeria’s defence chief, has acknowledged the “enormous” challenges facing the military, calling the current state of insecurity in the country a “rude shock”, but is confident the tide is turning.As for the 91 Chibok girls still being held captive, Gen Musa says the military has not given up hope that they will be rescued.Despite her satisfaction with her current situation, Amina is hopeful too. She hopes to become a journalist one day, to be a voice for victims of kidnapping, to be a leader. She also hopes her daughter will finish her education and have a bright, safe future.Most of all, she hopes her classmates will one day be freed.”The only thing I need the government to do is to release some of my sisters that are still in captivity. I have that hope,” she says. “Because when they are still alive [there’s hope] they will come back one day.” You can watch Yemisi’s full report on the BBC Africa YouTube channelFind out more about the Chibok girls:PODCAST: What happened to the Chibok girls?Why was this freed Chibok girl treated differently? The kidnapped woman who defied Boko HaramThe man who brought back the Chibok girlsRelated TopicsNigeriaBoko HaramNigeria schoolgirl kidnappingsAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastAfrica Daily podcastTop StoriesLive. Israel shoots down missiles and drones as Iran launches unprecedented attackIsrael says its defences in action as Iran attacksPublished1 hour agoSydney knife attacker identified by policePublished59 minutes agoFeaturesThe trafficked war babies looking for their long-lost familiesWorld watches nervously to see what Iran does nextUkraine could face defeat in 2024. Here’s how that might lookDifficult hunt for 12 impartial jurors to sit on historic Trump trialListen: The Liz Truss Memoir. AudioListen: The Liz Truss MemoirAttributionSoundsThe children living between starvation and deathHow Zendaya perfected ‘method dressing’Facing disaster – the Forest fans at HillsboroughAttributionSportSun, smoke and sport: Photos of the weekElsewhere on the BBC’She was the right side of cheeky’Dua Lipa makes a surprise visit to her old schoolAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayerThese adorable mice love Sir David AttenboroughThey bond over Planet Earth III and mountains of poo!AttributioniPlayerRobin Williams: from iconic shots to private snapsTen defining pictures throw a unique lens onto an extraordinary lifeAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Sydney knife attacker identified by police2Israel says its defences in action as Iran attacks3Squatters take over Gordon Ramsay’s £13m pub4US shoots down Iranian drones bound for Israel5Why did all the Little Chefs disappear?6’She is a hero’: Australia PM hails cop who shot attacker7How Zendaya perfected ‘method dressing’8Five arrested after baby’s remains found9Longstanding Tory MP to stand down at next election10Are Rayner’s troubles a sign of what’s to come for Labour?
[ad_1] Most of the Chibok girls abducted 10 years ago in Nigeria are now free but some feel badly let down.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaGaza war: UN rights expert accuses Israel of acts of genocidePublished4 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersImage caption, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says more than 32,000 Palestinians have been killedBy Imogen FoulkesBBC News, GenevaA UN human rights expert says she believes Israel has committed “acts of genocide” in Gaza.Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, presented her report to UN member states in Geneva on Tuesday.But Israel has already dismissed her findings.This comes amid growing international pressure on Israel to stop the war or to do much more to protect civilians.Ms Albanese concluded that “there are reasonable grounds to believe that the threshold indicating the commission of the crime of genocide against Palestinians as a group in Gaza has been met”.Before Ms Albanese even got to her feet, her findings had been dismissed by Israel, whose ambassador described it as “an outrageous distortion of the Genocide Convention”.Israel has for years been angered by the UN Human Rights Council’s agenda, which permanently devotes an entire section – Item 7 – to scrutiny of the situation in “Palestine and the other occupied Arab territories”.The agenda item was approved not by the UN itself, but by UN member states, decades ago, and has never expired. No other country in the world has permanent scrutiny like this, and Israel views it as discriminatory, and aimed at delegitimising Israel. It refuses to attend the council when Item 7 is under discussion.But many countries, in particular those in the Middle East, argue that the situation – in the absence of self-determination for Palestinians through a two-state solution – requires ongoing investigation, and now that there is another conflict, all the more so.Since Hamas’s brutal attack on Israel on 7 October, Ms Albanese has called for the release of the hostages, and does so again in this report. In it she “firmly condemns the crimes committed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Israel on 7 October”.But she has also been outspoken in her criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza.’Anatomy of a Genocide’That’s why her report has been awaited with both impatience, and trepidation. Ms Albanese’s choice of a title for it: ‘Anatomy of a Genocide’ was not exactly diplomatic. Many member states, especially those traditionally supportive of Israel, will be uncomfortable. But UN special rapporteurs, while tasked by the UN to examine and advise on specific situations, are independent of it. Genocide is a specific legal term, and Ms Albanese’s report suggests some of the legal criteria have been fulfilled. She cites what she says appears to be Israel’s intention to destroy Palestinians as a group “in whole or in part”, a key clause in the Convention against Genocide.She mentions in particular three elements which point to possible genocide: Killing members of the groupCausing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the groupDeliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in partThe death toll in Gaza, currently well over 32,000 according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, the bombing of densely populated areas, and the restrictions on aid supplies (which, the UN says, have brought Gaza to the brink of famine), are all proof, the report claims, of intent to destroy the group.Palestinian welcomeBasel Alsourani, of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, welcomed the report. He suggested international law had been violated by all sides in this conflict, but argued that genocide was such a serious crime the international community could not ignore it. “Allowing genocide to happen doesn’t only affect Palestinians…, it affects all human beings around the world,” he said. “If now Israel is committing genocide without accountability, tomorrow we don’t know which country will claim that genocide has been committed by Israel, and [therefore] I can commit genocide with no accountability.”Tala Nasir, a Palestinian human rights lawyer who also travelled to Geneva to hear the report, hoped it would draw more attention to the fate of what she said were thousands of people detained by Israel since 7 October.”They have arrested more than 7,700 Palestinians,” she said. “Eighty per cent of them are being held under administrative detention which means they are not presenting any charges against them.” Their families, she pointed out, had no contact with them, and no idea where they were.Israel angerNot surprisingly, Israeli diplomats are angry. Its ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Meirav Eilon Shahar, described the report as “an obscene inversion of reality”, and accused Ms Albanese of questioning Israel’s right to exist.Many Israelis, too, are likely to be shocked. And the suggestion of genocide, towards a state which was founded as a direct result of Nazi Germany’s genocide of Jews, will cause deep offence.In the wake of 7 October attack, and the fact that so many Israeli families are still waiting for news of loved ones taken hostage, hearing such outspoken condemnation is hard.Noam Peri, whose father Chaim was taken hostage, also travelled to Geneva. Her focus, naturally, is that her father not be forgotten. “My father was kidnapped from his own home,” she said. “He’s an 80-year-old person that was sitting in his home with my mother, and he was brutally taken from there, and has essentially disappeared since. He has no communication, with no-one in the world.”But, as this week’s vote for an immediate ceasefire at the UN Security Council shows, member states are growing impatient with Israel’s conduct of the war.Too many well-respected UN aid agencies have warned that nowhere in Gaza is safe, that families are now eating animal feed, or grass, that amputations are being performed on children without anaesthetic. They all say Israel is restricting vital aid supplies, and governments have begun to doubt Israel’s claim that the UN is to blame for the delays. Many will not like Francesca Albanese’s choice of words, but the content of her report will add to the pressure on Israel to change its strategy.Related TopicsIsrael & the PalestiniansIsrael-Gaza warIsraelHuman rightsPalestinian territoriesHamasMore on this storyUN’s top court says Israel must prevent genocidePublished26 JanuaryTop StoriesLive. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaLionel Messi: Fans to get 50% refund for no-show match in Hong KongPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Lionel Messi (second from right) remained on the bench throughout the friendly game between Inter Miami and the Hong Kong teamBy Kelly NgBBC NewsLionel Messi’s Hong Kong fans who bought tickets to a friendly that he skipped at the last minute will get a 50% refund, the match organiser said.Messi’s absence from the game in February, which he blamed on an injury, sent Chinse fans seething for weeks.Ticketholders applying for refunds must agree not to pursue legal action, Tatler Asia said.The refunds could cost up to HK$56m (£5.6m; $7.1m), the publication said.Fans had paid up to HK$4,880 each to watch the 36-year-old Argentine footballer but Messi remained on the bench throughout the match.Some 38,000 spectators at the sold-out Hong Kong Stadium booed and demanded refunds at the end of the game.China fury as Messi plays after missing Hong Kong gameTatler Asia had said it was told only at halftime that Messi would not be playing and that they “immediately” informed the government about it.Hong Kong authorities said they requested Messi to “explore other remedies” such as appearing on the field to interact with fans but to no avail.Messi played in Japan days after. He said he regretted not being able to play in Hong Kong due to a “swollen and painful” groin injury. This only enraged his fans further and fuelled conspiracy theories. State media outlet Global Times accused the footballer and his club Inter Miami of “political motives” with the aim of “embarrassing” Hong Kong.Messi rejected these claims, stressing that he holds a “special affection” for the people of China.The backlash against him lasted for weeks and saw Chinese officials cancelling two Argentine friendlies due to take place in the country this month.This stood in contrast to the roaring welcome Messi received in June last year, when Argentina played Australia in a friendly at the Beijing’s Worker’s Stadium.Tatler Asia said those seeking refunds would have to accept certain conditions, which include not pursuing “proceedings before any court of law, tribunal [or] regulatory authority”.Under fire for its handling of the event, it also withdrew its application for a HK$16m government grant.You may also be interested in:This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Messi responds to ‘false stories’ amid China backlashRelated TopicsAsiaChinaHong KongMore on this storyMessi defends HK absence as backlash continuesPublished20 FebruaryChina fury as Messi plays after missing Hong Kong gamePublished8 FebruaryMessi mania grips crowd at China’s Workers’ StadiumPublished15 June 2023Top Stories’Only God can change this place’: Haitians see no end to spiralling violencePublished9 hours agoUS reports death of senior Hamas military leaderPublished3 hours agoSex and nudity in films get stricter age ratingsPublished4 hours agoFeaturesWhy Gillian Anderson found it scary to play Emily MaitlisIs TikTok really a danger to the West?The Papers: Kate ‘pictured in public’ and ‘key’ Rwanda vote’Untreated trauma led to our soldier son’s suicide’The highs and lows of First Minister Mark DrakefordBridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan: Why I hate on-screen vanityNew pylons plan to add up to £30 to energy billsPredicting Putin’s landslide was easy, but what comes next?The US Navy’s relentless battle against Houthi attacksElsewhere on the BBCIs there a link between gardening and your gut?Michael Mosley learns how getting grubby in the garden can improve your overall healthAttributionSoundsThe most famous waterway in the Americas is running dryThe Global Story explores the impact on the international shipping industryAttributionSoundsThe moment a Russian warship sank in the Black SeaThe vessel was destroyed by a Ukrainian drone near the Kerch BridgeAttributioniPlayerAre The Beatles Ireland’s greatest band?Steven Cockcroft and Jason Carty explore the Fab Four’s connection with the Emerald IsleAttributionSoundsMost Read1Why Gillian Anderson found it scary to play Emily Maitlis2Kate ‘pictured in public’ and ‘key’ Rwanda vote3Magnum-owner to cut jobs and split off ice cream4Sex and nudity in films get stricter age ratings5Potholes leave nations’ roads at ‘breaking point’6’Only God can change this place’: Haitians see no end to spiralling violence7Trump unable to get $464m bond in New York fraud case8US reports death of senior Hamas military leader9Prince William to visit homeless project10Putin hails Crimea annexation after claiming election win](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/1136/production/_132960440_f9717293bd32217f40c09b5a7e4b935ef79b4a96.jpg)
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaBola Tinubu’s U-turn on Niger sanctions received with relief in northern NigeriaPublished26 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, AFPBy Mansur AbubakarBBC News, KanoAfter the army seized power in Niger last year, the president of its giant neighbour Nigeria was at the forefront of demands that the junta step down, even warning that the West African bloc could use military force to oust the generals, while imposing tough sanctions and closing the border.However just eight months later, Bola Tinubu has lifted all those restrictions.In many ways, it is a huge climbdown for the regional bloc, Ecowas, but it is also personally embarrassing for Mr Tinubu, analysts say.The warm welcome for the lifting of sanctions in both Niger and across the border in northern Nigeria also shows the unpopularity of his original, hard-line position.The about-turn was partly because Niger, along with its fellow juntas in Burkina Faso and Mali, hugely increased the stakes by saying they would pull out of Ecowas altogether, raising serious questions about the bloc’s future.The three countries had been suspended from Ecowas, which has been urging them to return to democratic rule.It seems Ecowas realised its waning influence after the trio went ahead to form an alliance, sever ties with France and forge closer relations with Russia.Nigerian political commentator Sani Bala thinks Mr Tinubu was too hasty eight months ago in trying to prove himself, and act like the “strong man”.He had only been in office two months when Niger’s coup took place and had just taken over as chairman of Ecowas.”It was a huge mistake from President Tinubu to impose those sanctions without fully appreciating the special relationship we have with Niger,” the Kano-based analyst told the BBC.Mr Tinubu’s own background – being forced into exile by a military regime in the 1990s – may have influenced his tough stance. Yet Mr Bala feels he should not have been so quick to act: “He should have consulted widely from the start.”Mahmud Bawa, a political analyst in the city of Kaduna, agrees.”Bola [Tinubu] is too impulsive. He will act and think later – just like in his inaugural speech,” he told the BBC.This is a reference to how the president announced that Nigeria’s long-standing fuel subsidy would be ending – a seemingly off-hand remark during his inauguration ceremony at the end of May last year. It caused chaos at the time and the subsequent huge jump in the price of petrol has had huge knock-on costs for consumers. “He is facing the consequences now,” said Mr Bawa, adding that the president has just had to suspend his student loan scheme, due to start this month, as the legislation was put together too hastily. “So I think this is embarrassing.”Image source, AFPImage caption, Communities along the long Nigeria-Niger border have been worst affected by the sanctionsThe fact that the 71-year-old president had initially threatened military action against Niger was what really raised hackles.Nigeria and Niger share strong ethnic, economic and cultural ties, with families living either side of the border.Closing the border and cutting off the electricity, which caused blackouts in cities across Niger, also angered many.Trade suffered – and essentials such as cement could no longer be imported. The landlocked country depends on imports brought in by road.Hamidou Kalalabuwa, a small-time trader in Diffa, a city in south-eastern Niger on the border with Nigeria, said poor mainly Muslim communities on both sides had suffered most.”This is amazing news and even more special coming in the Ramadan month of fasting,” he told the BBC.”In Hausa we have a saying ‘bayan wuya sai dadi’, which translates as ‘after suffering comes relief’. This is a relief,” he said.In Nigeria, business in the northern city of Kano – an economic hub for the region – was greatly affected because of the sanctions.The absence of businessmen from Niger, often in town to buy products to export, was keenly felt.Kano property developer Auwalu Yakasai is over the moon about Mr Tinubu’s U-turn – given that the economy is suffering on multiple fronts.”It is good news and my hope is that the economy benefits and gets better,” he told the BBC.This joyous response from both sides may give Nigeria’s president some reprieve, Mr Bala says.”Niger has always been Nigeria’s friend and this move will go a long way to repair the damaged relationship.”You may also be interested in:West Africa’s united front lies in tattersWhy Nigeria’s economy is in such a messNiger says goodbye to France but not the USRelated TopicsNigeriaNigerAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastsTop StoriesWales’ next first minister set to be announcedPublished6 hours agoSecret Ukrainian school in Russian-occupied territoryPublished5 hours agoGridlock fears as M25 closures come into forcePublished8 hours agoFeaturesSecret Ukrainian school in Russian-occupied territoryThe Papers: ‘Tory PM ousting plot’ and ‘Gran’s death row wait’Should adult Harry Potter fans ‘grow up and get over it’?Born on 7 October: Gaza mum’s fight to feed her babyWhat we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brandWorkaholics Anonymous: ‘I couldn’t step away from the computer’How to get Glastonbury tickets if you missed outThe ‘insane’ plan to save the Arctic’s sea-iceSri Lanka parents spending hundreds on child leukaemia medsElsewhere on the BBCThe ultimate bromanceWatch the masters of satire Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a look back through the archivesAttributioniPlayerThe mystery of a devastating helicopter crash…A weekend away for those leading the intelligence war in Northern Ireland turns to disasterAttributioniPlayer’A few people laughed, a few cried, most were silent’The extraordinary story of the rise and fall of the inventor of the atomic bomb, J Robert OppenheimerAttributioniPlayerFancy a film tonight?There’s something for everyone on BBC iPlayerAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Should adult Harry Potter fans ‘grow up and get over it’?2’Tory PM ousting plot’ and ‘Gran’s death row wait’3M25 closures in force amid gridlock fears4Billie Piper opens up about Laurence Fox comments5Boeing tells pilots to check seats after plane drops6The ‘insane’ plan to save the Arctic’s sea-ice7GP surgeries overpaid after NHS ‘admin blunder’8Cara Delevingne’s LA home destroyed by fire9All 35 bodies in funeral inquiry identified10Wales’ next first minister set to be announced](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/11C81/production/_132933827_gettyimages-1837939248_afpinde.jpg)
