by Philip Obaji Jr, The Daily Beast
It is perhaps the best-received news ever announced by the Nigeria Defense Headquarters—that 293 women and girls have been rescued by Nigerian troops from Boko Haram camps in the Sambisa forest.

by Moiyattu Banya


A few days ago, while lecturing to a class of 36 students on the impact of female revolutionaries of color throughout history I asked the question, “Where do we think radical change should come from?” My students responded in a variety of ways. Some thought it should come from those who are directly impacted by the injustice, others thought it was a collective effort where those from outside the community could also be responsible. I am of the belief that if massive change should occur, those who understand the injustices the most have to spark that change, however the multiplying effect of outsiders supporting and championing the cause is also very critical in the latter stages of the revolution.

Within the past few weeks, the world has witnessed acts of terrorism that were truly atrocities to the modern world. We are living in tumultuous times and the world’s attention is focused on terrorism and anti-terrorism efforts.

The terrorist attacks that hit Paris last week—first at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and then later supermarket—have people from all over the world engaged in dialogue about terrorism, free speech, and xenophobia. In the days following, the world was watching as news coverage of the attacks has been tracked on multiple media platforms. The mass marches through the streets of Paris, as well as the creation and global adoption of the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie were also meant to pay tribute to the victims of the attacks, as well as show solidarity of supposed freedom of speech. This solidarity has even garnered support from Hollywood, where many celebrities expressed their solidarity with the movement by wearing #JeSuisCharlie pins and discussing the tragic events at last week’s 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards.

A young Nigerian girl, said to be about the age of 10, killed 19 people and injured others. Attached to her body were explosives that were set off at a market in Maiduguri.

by Erika Eichelberger for Mother Jones


On Friday, Nigeria's government announced it had reached a deal with Boko Haram to release the approximately 200 schoolgirls held captive by the Islamist terror group since April.

The New York Times — A new clue about the fate of hundreds of girls kidnapped by an Islamist extremist group in Nigeria emerged Monday with the release of a video apparently showing many of the girls and new threats to “sell them” and “hold them as slaves” until Boko Haram members are released from prison.

If genuine, it would be the first public glimpse of the girls since they were seized on April 14 from a school in Chibok, an isolated village some 80 miles from this regional capital in Nigeria’s far northeast, where an Islamist insurgency has bedeviled the authorities for years.

More girls have been kidnapped in Nigeria, a village resident told CNN, saying that armed men in vehicles abducted eight from Warabe village, which is in the northeast of the country. The Reuters news agency is reporting the kidnappings, citing an unnamed police source and a Warabe resident.

The latest abductions come amid international outcry over the April 14 kidnapping of hundreds of girls by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

Chicago Tribune - The Islamist militant group Boko Haram claimed responsibility Monday for the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls during a raid in the village of Chibok in northeast Nigeria last month, the French news agency AFP reported, citing a video it had obtained.

"I abducted your girls," Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said in the video, according to AFP. Sekau also said Monday that he would sell the girls "on the market."