Terrorism Fatigue: Why We’ve Forgotten Nigeria’s Kidnapped Girls

Three weeks ago, over 200 Nigerian schoolgirls were abducted from their secondary school in Borno state by the Islamist group, Boko Haram. The girls were taken at gunpoint and forced into the dark cavity of the Sambisa Forest. Around 50 of the girls were able to escape. The rest have not been heard from since.

This particular attack on the Nigerian students garnered very little attention from the world’s media in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. It is shocking that the disappearance of these young girls did not immediately become front page news. Imagine, if instead of Nigeria, this crime had taken place in the U.S. and over 200 young American girls were taken at gunpoint? It is safe to assume that if this had happened, the crime would be on the front page of all major newspapers and the U.S. government would use all of its resources to retrieve the students. Yet this crime did not take place in the U.S. and because of this the world’s media have been slow to take notice. Instead newspapers have focused on the very important topics such as, ‘Zero Hour Contracts’ (The Guardian) and the death of Peaches Geldof from a heroin overdose (The Times, London). Why is the death of a socialite from drug overdose more important then the brutality that 200 Nigerian students are facing at this very moment?

I think this stems from two important reasons, the first being that, since September 11 2001, acts of terror have become normalized. Although terrorism is not a new occurrence, large scale terrorist attacks were not considered a major threat to the U.S. until the 9/11 assault. The 9/11 event left the majority of Americans shocked and terrified. However, the attacks created a collective experience for American’s who not only became united in their grief but also united in their acceptance that the threat of terrorism was now an aspect of daily life. This is evident in the increase in airport security, surveillance and the onslaught of 24 hour news channels which bombard the public with depictions and commentary on the ‘War on Terror.’

We are now experiencing ‘terrorism fatigue’ stemming from living through bus and train bombings, over a decade of war, a great loss of military and civilian life, and continued threats and acts of violence on behalf of Islamist militants. This continued violence has created an immunity to terrorist crimes. This is especially true when terrorist crimes are committed in ‘non-Western’ nations. Take for instance the U.S. Boston bombings which occurred in April 2013. The attack, which resulted in the death of three people, was reported immediately on countless media outlets across the world. Compare this to the minimal media coverage of the kidnappings of the Nigerian students. The lack of public attention on the Nigerian kidnappings is truly appalling. Why didn’t the media and world leaders immediately spring to action to report and offer assistance for this brutal act of terror? I believe that lack of worldwide attention can be attributed to the fact that this act of terror was committed in a ‘non-Western’ nation and the crime only affected young girls who are undervalued members of society.

These victims are not receiving the type of help that they desperately need because they are not viewed as meaningful contributors to society. Prior to the kidnapping, these females were considered incredibly lucky, in comparison to other females within the region, because they were receiving an education. The majority of females within the Borno state face a great disadvantage. This region has the lowest female school enrollment levels within Nigeria and the majority of girls within Borno state will be forced to marry right after they hit puberty. Thus, very few women are provided with the opportunity to receive an education. This is determinant to the females of this region. Education provides women with the ability to have a voice and contribute to society. This is the power of education and this power is what the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, is attempting to prevent.

The attack planned against the schoolgirls by Boko Haram was done as a representation of their desire to expel secular education out of Muslim regions. The militants seek to overthrow the Nigerian government and institute an Islamic state. Boko Haram is, in part, succeeding in this. The lack of government action against the militant kidnappers, indicates the large hold that Boko Haram has over the region. Furthermore, the lack of effort made to rescue the students illustrates that the Nigerian government does not think that they are worthy of military intervention. It also reinforces the message that Boko Haram is projecting that women are objects who can easily be abused and discarded, and that women do not have the right to freedom and to an education.

Women throughout Nigeria are fighting against this same sentiment. Last Wednesday, hundreds of Nigerian women took to the streets of Abuja to demand action from the government. Furthermore, in attempts to bring attention to the crisis, and influence Nigerian leaders to take action, the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, has begun trending throughout Twitter. The families of these victims should never have been made to plead to the Nigerian government for action or enact a social media campaign to bring attention to this horrific crime. One can only imagine the grief that they are currently enduring at the loss of their daughters and the knowledge that their children are being abused and enslaved. It must be infuriating to know that your child is in danger and that the government, which is supposed to protect its people, is not stepping up to recuse them.

Something must be done to not only rescue the women but to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice. The lack of action by the Nigerian government speaks of a larger worldwide concern. If these crimes continue, then the education system within Nigeria will become compromised. School should be a place where students can learn and safely explore the knowledge that is being taught to them. Instead Nigerian schools are being turned into battlefields for terrorist crimes and modern day auction blocks for slavery. Eduction for females should never be marginalized. Education gives girls the tools they need to elevate themselves out of poverty and contribute to the economic success of their families and their countries. For Nigeria to continue to prosper, safe learning environments for girls must be created, and the government must strike out against the terrorists who wish to eliminate education and enslave their young girls. If nothing is done to prevent these crimes, and as long as the world’s media continues to regulate these crimes to the back pages of their newspapers, then these acts of terrorism will not only continue but will increase.