Girl tells of Boko Haram kidnap

A girl who was kidnapped by the Nigerian extremist group Boko Haram has told how she escaped her captors by jumping from a moving lorry.

Sa’a was one of 276 girls taken from a secondary school in Chibok in 2014 in an act that made headlines across the world.

She escaped, but almost 200 of her schoolmates remain unaccounted for.

Sa’a was speaking to at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai, which was attended by experts and politicians from around the world. Boko Haram believes women should not receive a secular or western-style education.

Sa’a, who is now studying in the United States, said she was lucky to escape by jumping out of a lorry in a forest. “They came to our school dressed in military uniforms, we did not know they were Boko Haram,” she said.

“It is painful and emotional that 195 of my classmates are still missing after three years. “The world has to do something. They are human beings, and not people to be forgotten.”

Some of the girls managed to escape their captors, and some returned with babies. Boko Haram released 21 captives in October last year. More than 2,000 delegates from 140 nations heard her story at the opening of the forum.

The audience also heard from Sunny Varkey, founder and chairman of Gems Education, the international schools operator based in Dubai.

“Each of the 130 million children born every year are innocent,” said Mr Varkey.

This generation of young people, “are the first true global citizens”, who are special – born at a special time, he said.

“We need the collective intelligence and moral leadership of young people from every country, culture and faith to address the world’s problems.” The forum continues today with talks from Julia Gillard, the former prime minister of Australia, and Tariq Al Gurg, chief executive of Dubai Cares.