The Muslim Students Association Union (MSA Union) of South Africa calls for the release of the 276 Nigerian girls held hostage in Nigeria by militant group Boko Haram.

On 14th April, 300 schoolgirls were rounded up at a boarding school in Northern Nigeria. Armed men from a group Boko Haram abducted the girls. Three weeks later, 276 remain missing. Boko Haram, the militant group responsible for the abduction, said the girls will only be freed after the Nigerian government releases jailed militants. The kidnapping is just the latest in a series of assaults on schoolchildren by militant groups.

Goodluck Jonathan, the president of Nigeria refused international aid in the search for the girls until last week. The girls' plight and the Nigerian government's failure to rescue them has aroused international outrage and the MSA Union is in full support of the campaign.

This outrage is not just about the abducted Nigerian girls. This incident has highlighted an issue which the leaders of the countries the world over have conveniently passed over - the treatment of women and girls around the world. The crisis in Nigeria is part of a larger untold story about human trafficking, terrorism and unequal education.

We want to extend our sympathy to the families affected by this blasphemous incident. We call on all our members to educate themselves about this incident, engage in the social media and educate society about the fact of the matter - saying that 234 Nigerian school girls were abducted by "Islamist" insurgents is false. There is nothing Islamic about it. 

Statement issued by MSA Union of South Africa

For more information, contact:

Yusuf Talia, President - MSA Union of South Africa, yusuf.talia@gmail.com / 071-677-2391 

Insaaf Isaacs, Head of Public Relations and Human Resources - MSA Union of South Africa, iscins002@myuct.ac.za / 072-741-3078