newsinsightplus.com 13m2014.Wow April 14, 2024 0 Comments 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. Continue reading
newsinsightplus.com 13m2014.Wow April 14, 2024 0 Comments 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. Continue reading
newsinsightplus.com 1st2023Top March 4, 2024 0 Comments BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaJack Teixeira: US airman pleads guilty to Pentagon documents leakPublished42 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersBy Mike WendlingBBC NewsAn Air National Guard member has pleaded guilty to posting dozens of classified documents online in one of highest-profile intelligence leaks in recent years.Prosecutors recommend that Jack Teixeira, 22, be sentenced to up to 16 years and eight months in prison.While working at an Air National Guard base, he posted documents to Discord, a platform popular with gamers.The material included maps, satellite images and intelligence on US allies.Teixeira pleaded guilty to six counts of wilful retention and transmission of national defence information in a US federal court in Boston on Monday. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. However, under the terms of a plea deal, prosecutors said they would ask for 200 months in prison – which Teixeira has agreed not to contest.At minimum, he will serve 11 years and pay a fine of $50,000 (£39,000). Teixeira also agreed to be debriefed by intelligence and defence officials. During the hearing he spoke briefly to confirm his agreement to the plea deal. US prosecutor Joshua Levy told reporters that the government is seeking a “very serious sentence” in order to send “a powerful deterrent message”. “One of the reasons this case is so serious is that once things are posted on the internet, shared on the internet, it’s almost impossible to track down what happens to every document,” Mr Levy said.Teixeira’s attorney Michael Bachrach called his client “very much a kid” and said that his youth played a “significant role” in his actions.Mr Bachrach said he hoped to be able to successfully argue for a jail term of 11 years at a sentencing hearing scheduled for 27 September.Teixeira initially began sharing information in late 2022 to a small community of gun and military enthusiasts on a Discord server, or chatroom.Initially the documents stayed within the group – and Teixeira expressed frustration that his online friends did not realise their significance – but the information was soon re-shared to more public channels.Eventually, the documents spread to fringe message boards and bigger social media networks, and were picked up by pro-Kremlin Telegram channels and military bloggers.Some copies of the documents were later altered by others, for instance to inflate Ukrainian casualty figures. Teixeira was warned by supervisors after he was seen making notes while looking at classified documents, prosecutors said, and he posed specific questions based on classified intelligence during a briefing.Teixeira was based at the Otis Air National Guard Base, near his home a little more than an hour south of Boston, Massachusetts.He worked as a cyber defence operations journeyman – an information technology job maintaining the Air Force communications network – and held the rank of Airman 1st Class. Despite his junior role, he had a top-secret security clearance.The leak prompted an investigation and led the Pentagon to examine its systems for handling classified information. The Air Force disciplined 15 of its members in connection with the case in December. A report from the Air Force’s inspector general said officers were aware of Texiera’s “intelligence-seeking activities” and failed to stop him, and that leaders in his unit knew of up to four instances of “questionable activity” involving his access to classified material.Several officers knew of other incidents, the report said, but did not report them, fearing that security officials would “overreact”.But the report also said Texiera’s supervisors did not know the full extent of his online activity.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: How damaging are Jack Teixeira’s US intelligence leaks?The report said there was a lack of supervision during overnight shifts at the base, when a three-person crew was responsible for answering phones and ensuring the heating and air conditioning systems were operating. Teixeira would print and smuggle out classified documents when working those shifts. Screenshots of the classified information appeared to showed creased printouts photographed at his home. Image source, unknownImage caption, Teixeira took photographs of the documents and posted them onlineIn court filings, prosecutors said Teixeira was once suspended from high school after a classmate overheard him making racial threats and discussing weapons. Even though Teixeira said he was talking about a video game, local police then denied him a firearms identification card needed to purchase weapons.He was eventually approved, however, and authorities found a number of guns when they searched his house after his arrest. Prosecutors also said he attempted to destroy evidence, smashing his tablet, laptop and Xbox and encouraging members of a Discord chat room to delete their messages as authorities closed in.Teixeira’s family has a history of military service. His stepfather served 34 years in the Air Force, and his mother previously worked for non-profit organisations focused on veterans. Both attended his plea hearing on Monday.In a statement the family said Teixeira was “a good person” who has “has taken responsibility for his part in this”.They said the Air Force Inspector General report revealed “shocking details” about lack of training and oversight at the base, and that they hoped “substantive changes are made to stop this from ever happening again.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jack Teixeira’s stepfather Thomas Dufault and mother Dawn Dufault arriving at the court house in Boston on MondayMore on this storyHow secret US files first spread then vanished onlinePublished14 April 2023Top StoriesTop court says states can’t ban Trump from ballotsPublished47 minutes agoFrance makes abortion a constitutional rightPublished1 hour agoGeorge Galloway vows to take Angela Rayner’s seatPublished2 hours agoFeaturesCelebrity Big Brother: The rumoured line-upWould a £150,000 wage tempt you to a Scottish island?The Ukrainian teenagers who returned for their school promDaughter ‘desperate’ as mum missing for five monthsDid the last Budget deliver growth and cheap beer?In pictures: Bollywood stars and billionaires at lavish partyTrump supporters target black voters with AI fakesMystery of giant star sand dunes solvedCan a rubberstamp parliament help China’s economy?Elsewhere on the BBCWhat went wrong that fateful night?A new two-part documentary series examines the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook helicopter crashAttributioniPlayerThe powerful emotional impact of Pink Floyd’s musicShine On You Crazy Diamond has helped people through their hardest timesAttributionSoundsGary Neville returns to the Den…Can the aspiring entrepreneurs win him, and the fiery five over?AttributioniPlayerHow Trump’s golf dream turned into a nightmare…His controversial golf development in Aberdeenshire was greenlit with awful consequencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1George Galloway vows to take Angela Rayner’s seat2Stop ‘rude’ vicar behaviour, wedding photographers say3Gatcombe Horse Trials cancelled after 40 years4Would a £150,000 wage tempt you to a Scottish island?5France makes abortion a constitutional right6Celebrity Big Brother: The rumoured line-up7Daughter ‘desperate’ as mum missing for five months8Top court says states can’t ban Trump from ballots9US airman pleads guilty to Pentagon documents leak10Sarah Everard police recall learning killer was PC [ad_1] Jack Teixeira was accused of one of the highest-profile national security breaches in years. 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newsinsightplus.com 1st2023Top March 4, 2024 0 Comments BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaJack Teixeira: US airman pleads guilty to Pentagon documents leakPublished42 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersBy Mike WendlingBBC NewsAn Air National Guard member has pleaded guilty to posting dozens of classified documents online in one of highest-profile intelligence leaks in recent years.Prosecutors recommend that Jack Teixeira, 22, be sentenced to up to 16 years and eight months in prison.While working at an Air National Guard base, he posted documents to Discord, a platform popular with gamers.The material included maps, satellite images and intelligence on US allies.Teixeira pleaded guilty to six counts of wilful retention and transmission of national defence information in a US federal court in Boston on Monday. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. However, under the terms of a plea deal, prosecutors said they would ask for 200 months in prison – which Teixeira has agreed not to contest.At minimum, he will serve 11 years and pay a fine of $50,000 (£39,000). Teixeira also agreed to be debriefed by intelligence and defence officials. During the hearing he spoke briefly to confirm his agreement to the plea deal. US prosecutor Joshua Levy told reporters that the government is seeking a “very serious sentence” in order to send “a powerful deterrent message”. “One of the reasons this case is so serious is that once things are posted on the internet, shared on the internet, it’s almost impossible to track down what happens to every document,” Mr Levy said.Teixeira’s attorney Michael Bachrach called his client “very much a kid” and said that his youth played a “significant role” in his actions.Mr Bachrach said he hoped to be able to successfully argue for a jail term of 11 years at a sentencing hearing scheduled for 27 September.Teixeira initially began sharing information in late 2022 to a small community of gun and military enthusiasts on a Discord server, or chatroom.Initially the documents stayed within the group – and Teixeira expressed frustration that his online friends did not realise their significance – but the information was soon re-shared to more public channels.Eventually, the documents spread to fringe message boards and bigger social media networks, and were picked up by pro-Kremlin Telegram channels and military bloggers.Some copies of the documents were later altered by others, for instance to inflate Ukrainian casualty figures. Teixeira was warned by supervisors after he was seen making notes while looking at classified documents, prosecutors said, and he posed specific questions based on classified intelligence during a briefing.Teixeira was based at the Otis Air National Guard Base, near his home a little more than an hour south of Boston, Massachusetts.He worked as a cyber defence operations journeyman – an information technology job maintaining the Air Force communications network – and held the rank of Airman 1st Class. Despite his junior role, he had a top-secret security clearance.The leak prompted an investigation and led the Pentagon to examine its systems for handling classified information. The Air Force disciplined 15 of its members in connection with the case in December. A report from the Air Force’s inspector general said officers were aware of Texiera’s “intelligence-seeking activities” and failed to stop him, and that leaders in his unit knew of up to four instances of “questionable activity” involving his access to classified material.Several officers knew of other incidents, the report said, but did not report them, fearing that security officials would “overreact”.But the report also said Texiera’s supervisors did not know the full extent of his online activity.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: How damaging are Jack Teixeira’s US intelligence leaks?The report said there was a lack of supervision during overnight shifts at the base, when a three-person crew was responsible for answering phones and ensuring the heating and air conditioning systems were operating. Teixeira would print and smuggle out classified documents when working those shifts. Screenshots of the classified information appeared to showed creased printouts photographed at his home. Image source, unknownImage caption, Teixeira took photographs of the documents and posted them onlineIn court filings, prosecutors said Teixeira was once suspended from high school after a classmate overheard him making racial threats and discussing weapons. Even though Teixeira said he was talking about a video game, local police then denied him a firearms identification card needed to purchase weapons.He was eventually approved, however, and authorities found a number of guns when they searched his house after his arrest. Prosecutors also said he attempted to destroy evidence, smashing his tablet, laptop and Xbox and encouraging members of a Discord chat room to delete their messages as authorities closed in.Teixeira’s family has a history of military service. His stepfather served 34 years in the Air Force, and his mother previously worked for non-profit organisations focused on veterans. Both attended his plea hearing on Monday.In a statement the family said Teixeira was “a good person” who has “has taken responsibility for his part in this”.They said the Air Force Inspector General report revealed “shocking details” about lack of training and oversight at the base, and that they hoped “substantive changes are made to stop this from ever happening again.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jack Teixeira’s stepfather Thomas Dufault and mother Dawn Dufault arriving at the court house in Boston on MondayMore on this storyHow secret US files first spread then vanished onlinePublished14 April 2023Top StoriesTop court says states can’t ban Trump from ballotsPublished47 minutes agoFrance makes abortion a constitutional rightPublished1 hour agoGeorge Galloway vows to take Angela Rayner’s seatPublished2 hours agoFeaturesCelebrity Big Brother: The rumoured line-upWould a £150,000 wage tempt you to a Scottish island?The Ukrainian teenagers who returned for their school promDaughter ‘desperate’ as mum missing for five monthsDid the last Budget deliver growth and cheap beer?In pictures: Bollywood stars and billionaires at lavish partyTrump supporters target black voters with AI fakesMystery of giant star sand dunes solvedCan a rubberstamp parliament help China’s economy?Elsewhere on the BBCWhat went wrong that fateful night?A new two-part documentary series examines the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook helicopter crashAttributioniPlayerThe powerful emotional impact of Pink Floyd’s musicShine On You Crazy Diamond has helped people through their hardest timesAttributionSoundsGary Neville returns to the Den…Can the aspiring entrepreneurs win him, and the fiery five over?AttributioniPlayerHow Trump’s golf dream turned into a nightmare…His controversial golf development in Aberdeenshire was greenlit with awful consequencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1George Galloway vows to take Angela Rayner’s seat2Stop ‘rude’ vicar behaviour, wedding photographers say3Gatcombe Horse Trials cancelled after 40 years4Would a £150,000 wage tempt you to a Scottish island?5France makes abortion a constitutional right6Celebrity Big Brother: The rumoured line-up7Daughter ‘desperate’ as mum missing for five months8Top court says states can’t ban Trump from ballots9US airman pleads guilty to Pentagon documents leak10Sarah Everard police recall learning killer was PC [ad_1] Jack Teixeira was accused of one of the highest-profile national security breaches in years. Continue reading